Chapter 100: Mage vs. Mage

“Damn it!” The six level-7 deep blue centipedes were far more formidable than the wild centipedes in the cave. Their health had surged several times over, and their attack power and speed had multiplied as well. Facing six such centipedes, combined with a level-24 mage’s level-3 lightning spell, the level-24 warrior known as Fourth Brother could barely hold on. With a curse, he barely escaped on a random teleport scroll with just a shred of health remaining.

The leader and the two other Taoists in the group proved to be tenacious survivors, managing to hold back Nangong Zangma and his two companions. Yet the trio seemed focused on the young mage Lin Jia, who was still hiding behind the tank’s shield wall. In group fights, mages were always the first to be targeted and eliminated. Although the opposing mage, a virtuous character, was relentlessly attacking Lin Jia, the young mage couldn’t safely stay behind the tank wall to unleash his lightning on the wild white boar. Without the tank’s protection, Lin Jia noticed the boar boss, staggered from his lightning assault, was slowly approaching the narrow space behind the tank wall where he was concealed. If the boar trapped him there, death would be inevitable.

After some thought, Lin Jia decisively abandoned the boar boss, which was on the verge of death, and dashed out from behind the tank wall, his entire body enveloped in a green aura. Killing the boar boss at this moment wasn’t wise; its explosion upon death could scatter loot, potentially triggering a scramble from the enemies. If a prized item like a great axe dropped and wasn’t picked up, not only would Fourth Brother the warrior be furious, but Lin Jia himself would be disheartened.

Though Nangong Zangma’s level-5 skeleton had been electrocuted by Lin Jia, his level-2 “Summon Skeleton” skill could summon level-2 mutated skeletons directly. In contrast, the three Taoists—led by the boss—had only level-0 white skeletons. Fortunately, three against one was enough to barely hold them off. Two Taoists faced Nangong Zangma, while the boss was besieged by the warrior Feng Yunxia and the virtuous mage.

Without skeleton support and facing two enemies, the boss had no choice but to flee, employing the same tactic Nangong Zangma had used—applying oil to the ground and dragging the enemies on a wild chase.

The six level-7 centipedes, like a black torrent, pursued the boss relentlessly, leaving no time to look back. The virtuous mage stood firm, swiftly unleashing bolts of lightning on the fleeing boss. Although casting spells while running made hitting more difficult, the mage’s level-3 lightning was deadly—one hit could drain a significant portion of health. The boss ran desperately, a healing orb rotating above his head without pause, but despite using healing spells, the six centipedes closed in, and chaos reigned on both sides.

As Lin Jia emerged, he hurled a fierce bolt of lightning at the opposing mage, “Virtuous One,” staggering him. A mage-versus-mage duel depended heavily on skill. With similar levels and equipment, victory came down to who had better technique.

Though Lin Jia had played for only a short time, several large-scale player-versus-player battles had helped him grasp the key to mage dueling: dodge and strike. If timed well, a skilled mage could defeat an opponent despite sustaining light injuries.

Currently, battles between mages mostly involved standing far apart, exchanging ranged lightning spells. But clever mages never stood still, foolishly relying on equipment and magic potency. Instead, they exploited the opponent’s mistakes caused by movement to minimize damage taken. At the moment their foe paused to cast a spell, they would launch a lightning strike, dealing heavy damage, then move again to avoid the counterattack.

While Lin Jia’s mastery of this technique was still modest—dodging about half of ten attacks and hitting six or seven—his gear far outclassed the rival’s. Particularly notable was the silver bracelet on his hand, which granted +3 agility and 0–3 magic. The extra agility meant that even if an enemy’s lightning hit Lin Jia, it might deal no damage at all. This was the privilege bestowed by high-attribute equipment.

Agility increased movement speed slightly and passive evasion when attacked—a rare but highly useful stat. Most items that boosted agility had low base attributes, limiting their utility. Lin Jia’s silver bracelet, however, enhanced both agility and magic by three points each—a truly precious treasure.

Despite several lightning-fast rounds of exchanges, Lin Jia felt frustrated. His superior equipment and skills should have inflicted more damage, yet the damage dealt seemed roughly equal. Perhaps the enemy was also using potions, but why did the damage balance out so evenly?

There was no time for Lin Jia to unravel this mystery. As the battle raged, a large wave of monsters suddenly spawned nearby. One of Lin Jia’s Taoist allies, engaged with Nangong Zangma, was caught off guard by a lumbering white boar and was knocked down by its meteor hammer. Unluckily, his level-22 “Soul Robe” set was blown apart.

The newly spawned monsters worsened the fight. Most notably, Virtuous One’s six centipedes were overwhelmed by the monster horde, easing pressure on the boss, who could now focus on the level-22 warrior. The boss’s level-3 Soul Fire Talisman, combined with his high Taoist attributes, was almost as powerful as Lin Jia’s level-3 lightning. Poison and talismans swirled as the boss’s female Taoist ally “Mist Veil” danced gracefully through the chaos of monsters and flashing blades like a beautiful butterfly, an enchanting sprite amidst battle.

With his six centipedes tied up and swallowed by the monster sea, Virtuous One scrambled desperately to dodge attacks. Lin Jia seized the opportunity, swallowing a powerful wound-healing potion and his last Sun Water. He endured the assault of a red boar while unleashing relentless lightning upon the battered Virtuous One, who staggered under the onslaught.

Clenching his teeth, Lin Jia snarled fiercely: “Virtuous One, I wish you a safe journey.”

********

[Announcement: Damn it! I finally made it back alive! I had an accident at work and nearly exhausted myself! Posting a chapter now; I’ll shower, eat, and then write more later.

By the way, I haven’t been reminding you to vote lately! Why have you lazy bums stopped voting? Please hit the button below and hold F5 for half an hour!]