Chapter 165: Tired and Need a Nap
Translated by Karai of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
Editor: Addis
After the conclusion of the two matches, with the score now at 1:1, the atmosphere in the livestream was lively, and everyone was eagerly anticipating the outcome of the next match. Amidst the discussions, the format for the third match was revealed: it was the most intense of the four formats, a 5v5.
[Exciting!]
[5v5 with healing is even more dangerous; it feels like both sides will have to rely on their skills.]
[Will BrokenOracle be on stage? Oh, and the Advertising team also has UnchainedWanderer.]
[So excited, I have a feeling this match will last a long time.]
[Speaking of time, they’re playing so fast. Maybe it’ll be finished in three hours in the morning!]
[True, it’s only been an hour and a half so far. If someone starts a winning streak now, it should be finished!]
With the match format revealed, the team leaders entered the draft phase.
Unlike the 3v3 format, the 5v5 draft had five open slots and involved simultaneous picking.
In the first round of drafting, it was no surprise that both teams selected their healers. The Xiao Yao team chose the third healer, [TodayJustWantstoSleepIn], while the Advertising team picked the seventh healer, [Stir-Fried Cantaloupe]. Both healers had similar styles, but apart from their primary attributes, Cantaloupe and Sleep In differed somewhat. Cantaloupe was a sustain-type healer, whereas Sleep In focused more on healing output, similar to the first healer, HealsFor25000.
However, in a 5v5 match, healers could be eliminated quickly, making their protection a top priority for the team.
Soon, both teams selected their second players. The Xiao Yao team chose a warrior to protect their healer, while the Advertising team opted for the assassin, ZenSlasher.
“With an assassin in 5v5, the Xiao Yao team should choose a marksman next,” CloudTraveller said. “Their marksman was just short of being picked last time. Without a marksman, the threat from the Advertising team’s assassin is too great.”
Midnight Bell added, “Momo’s pick basically hinted at the Xiao Yao team’s next choice. Besides BrokenOracle, who’s bold enough not to pick a marksman, the next pick is pretty much decided.”
SkilfullyEmptyHand asked, “Will the advertisement team pick a warrior for the third round?”
The question of whether they would pick a warrior was on many minds.
After all, warriors were crucial. The Advertising team’s warrior was an unusual tank with strange and unpredictable tactics every time they appeared, which made viewers both eager to watch and hesitant at the same time, creating a sense of contradiction.
“When picking Bitter Melon, it was basically a stand-in role to protect the healer,” someone said.
“Yes, he’s very tanky, and the Giant Mountain Shield scales with the warrior’s defense. With his Giant Mountain Shield, he could withstand three ultimate skills,” another added.
As Su Mo was about to select Bitter Melon, he suddenly heard his teammates’ objections in the team voice chat.
“I’m not going,” Bitter Melon said. “In this map, it’s too slow for me to support my teammates.”
“It’s not that we can’t fight,” Su Mo tried to correct Bitter Melon’s view. “The 5v5 lineup has many variations.”
Bitter Melon remained calm as he spoke. He understood the commander’s thoughts and knew that the commander had a way to adjust the lineup. “I know we can fight, but I can’t just let my teammates drag me along. It would disrupt the team’s rhythm. I can protect the healer, but I can’t provide quick support. If the opponents target the mage and assassin first, we could easily fall into a passive position. Rather than becoming passive, it’s better to choose a more suitable lineup.”
“Since we’ve come this far, we still want to win,” Bitter Melon said. “Momo, choose a more stable and easier winning setup. The opponent will likely have BrokenOracle in this match.”
BrokenOracle would certainly not let them gain match point early, so he would likely appear in this round. That left them with limited opportunities.
“I will rearrange the lineup for this match, but you were mistaken about one thing,” Su Mo said. “We can’t guarantee a win; your concession might only increase our original 50% win rate to 55%.”
“I think everyone wants more than just a win from this game,” Su Mo continued. “Since this is the final round, I hope everyone can enjoy it fully.”
ScarletFruit added, “The boss is right. Although the star coin rewards are tempting, it would be a shame not to have a chance to play after reaching this stage. Since we’re playing, we should definitely enjoy ourselves.”
Apple chimed in, “Yeah, boss, you’re being too formal.”
ClearWind agreed, “Exactly, having fun is more important.”
Bitter Melon said, “Wait for me, Watermelon. We’ll definitely win this match, and I’ll take care of the 2v2 in the next round.”
Bitter Melon had initially wanted a safer lineup for an easier victory. Having moved past the competitive phase of his youth, he now viewed games as a form of leisure and enjoyment. But in the company of younger gaming friends, he found himself stirred by a bit of competitive spirit. He asked, “What if we lose the 2v2?”
“Then we’ll just play the fifth match!” came the reply.
“Yeah, yeah, boss, just wait. After we win this match, we’ll get you a relaxing game.”
“That’s hilarious! Why call it a relaxing game!?”
“We’re not worried about winning or losing; we’re aiming to secure second place and fight for first.”
Bitter Melon paused, then sighed and said, “Young people should have a bit more ambition.”
FireworksAndLanterns said, “Huh? How are we lacking in ambition! Aiming for second place and fighting for first place is quite ambitious!”
The team burst into laughter, and the focus of the discussion shifted to how to play a match with real ambition.
Su Mo asked, “Do you want it to be more exciting?”
“Of course, excitement is what shows true ambition!” ClearWind began to stir things up. “How exactly should we make it exciting?”
Listening to the laughing teammates, Bitter Melon suddenly felt that not participating might have been a mistake. “Maybe I should go after all?”
Su Mo made the final selection and said, “It’s too late now; you can take it easy in the next match.”
Just when everyone expected the third pick from the Advertising team to be Bitter Melon as a warrior, they saw that Momo chose another assassin. The Advertising team surprisingly opted for double assassins at this moment!
After selecting the assassin, the remaining picks were made quickly by both teams.
The Advertising team: double assassins, array master, magical swordsman, and healer.
The Ren XiaoYao Team: double Daoist priests, warrior, marksman, and healer.
[Wow, this is exciting!]
[Double assassins against double Daoist priests—this lineup was unexpected.]
[Who’s going to protect the healer on the Advertising team?]
[Maybe the array master? But isn’t the array master an offensive type as well, and also a fragile one? Their whole team is fragile.]
After finalizing their lineups, both teams teleported to their starting positions.
The Advertising team chatted excitedly, but their desire to win was even stronger than before. The players appeared to be smiling and chatting casually, but each one was intensely focused on winning. They wanted to secure a victory in this 5v5 match.
Su Mo quickly organized the team from a high vantage point. “No need for experimental tactics this time. Identify the animals in the side hall immediately at the start, then let me know. Assassins take mobile positions, array master and healer take positions, and the magical swordsman will be the main damage dealer…”
This match had to be won.
The viewers in the live stream also paid attention to the changes on the field, particularly the lineup for this match. With double assassins against double Daoist priests, both teams’ lineups had their own counters. It was difficult to predict which side would win, but the match promised to be evenly matched and very engaging.
As the match began, the healer set up buffs for the team. Both teams didn’t linger in the side hall for long, but viewers noticed their similar movements, such as pausing at the pillars.
Even from the sidelines, this detail was apparent. CloudTraveller frowned and said, “There must be something going on with the pillars. The actions of both teams suggest that this is likely one of the conditions of the mechanism in the Glazed Palace.”
“Now that you mention it, I seem to remember that in the previous match, Momo also paid extra attention to the pillars,” asked FirstUnderHeaven. “Did both teams already figure out the map mechanism after observing the pillars?”
The Advertising team’s consistent positioning at high ground led most viewers to believe that they had likely uncovered the high ground mechanism. Mastering the mechanism would give them the upper hand, and understanding the mechanisms of both teams was a key factor in determining the outcome of the match.
“BrokenOracle is very smart. He should have noticed,” said Midnight Bell, glancing at the Doaist priest in the arena. “Let’s not forget that in the previous match, the physical swordsman Air was at high ground. It’s possible they had already picked up on the issue. Additionally, Hai Tang’s positioning in the last match was a bit slow, so they might have already noticed the details.”
[So did the XiaoYao Team actually throw the second match?]
[It’s possible, but I feel like the Advertising team is very detailed in their high-ground tactics.]
[True, I still haven’t seen the Advertising team’s strategy.]
After both teams had examined the pillars in the side hall, they quickly moved toward the central main hall. As soon as someone entered the main hall, the glazed tiles on the ground started to rumble. According to the time estimate, the rising and falling of the glazed tiles would begin after 30 seconds.
After entering the side hall, BrokenOracle had noticed the issue with the sconces. Perhaps it was because of the Advertising team’s performance in the previous match that he had paid attention to these seemingly insignificant details. The animal marks on the sconces were difficult to spot unless one looked closely, and even then, they required some analysis.
He took some time to organize the details, paying attention to the patterns on the pillars and the information from the last two matches. Based on the opponents’ performance, he quickly put together some clues. It was clear that the 12 pillars, 8 high-ground glazed tiles, and the animals in the Glazed Palace were closely related. He had also noted the key points… and now, in their side hall, there were two animals, a horse and a sheep.
“The opponents will occupy the high ground first. Pay attention to their positioning and try to encircle them as much as possible. The marksman should target the assassin first, the warrior will protect the healer, and I’ll control the field with Willow Wisp,” BrokenOracle instructed quickly. “Hai Tang, report their positions and record the information.”
“Focus on killing the healer or the array master first.”
Once both teams had entered the arena, their formations were immediately visible. The XiaoYao Team centered around the healer, with the marksman in the rear, the Doaist priests controlling the sides, and the warrior at the front. The Advertising team, on the other hand, had the array master positioned forward, with the magical swordsman and healer standing together, and the two assassins were nowhere to be seen.
As soon as they faced each other, the warrior charged into the crowd and immediately encountered the first area control spell from the array master. The array master’s controls were all area controls, creating an array in a specific zone. Anyone stepping into the array’s area would be affected by the control, making it very noticeable. The duration was generally short, but it required casting time.
However, the Daoist priest’s talismans had shorter durations. BrokenOracle, being a balanced and output-oriented Doaist priest, had a different focus compared to his teammate Willow Wisp, who specialized in control. Willow Wisp’s equipment was designed to extend control time and improve effect accuracy. So, while the array master UnchainedWanderer controlled the warrior, Willow Wisp’s immobilization charm easily pinned down the healer, Cantaloupe.
The marksman, not seeing any invisible units within his line of sight, immediately called out, “Can’t find the assassins. They might be hiding behind the pillars. You guys go around the pillars.”
BrokenOracle shouted, “Control the healer, focus on killing the healer first.”
The clash erupted quickly and intensely. Almost immediately after the start, both teams charged at each other with the intent to kill. Cantaloupe quickly became the primary target. After using a control break, he started running away. However, the opposing team’s professions were mostly ranged, with the double Doaist priests covering nearly all sides of the Glazed Palace’s main hall, and the ultra-long-range marksman providing support from behind. Cantaloupe had limited options for positioning, but he knew to hide behind the load-bearing pillars and try to buy time.
The opening was intense; in this match, the Xiaoyao team went all out with their firepower!
“It’s really hard for the assassins to enter; this formation completely locks them out. The assassins have to avoid being caught between the marksman and the double Doaist priests,” someone noted.
“You might not know, but the Xiaoyao team previously won against Zenith Expanse in 5v5 with this exact lineup. This is their golden formation.”
“The Glazed Palace map isn’t large, and in an environment without obstacles, this formation is almost overwhelming,” Midnight Bell said. “It seems like Momo’s team has many professions, but their weakness is the lack of a strong frontline. Against a lineup with double Doaist priests, they need a powerful frontline to break through the formation; otherwise, the double assassins won’t be able to perform effectively. I’m not sure what Momo was thinking, but using this lineup is a bit risky.”
“Where’s the tipping point for victory?” asked SkilfulEmptyHand.
“It lies with the assassins and the array master,” CloudTraveller replied. “The magical swordsman is a strong output character, but without a good environment for output, it’s hard to make an impact. The healer is passive, but right now the assassins are being restricted, and the array master’s reach is limited. It’s a bit difficult to suppress unless the array master can provide a stable environment for the magical swordsman.”
Despite the clear suppression of lineups in the arena, the atmosphere within the Advertising team was not too bad.
“Coordinates are at your right front: Watermelon and ZenSlasher (4, 11), Apple (5, 10), and UnchainedWonder (6, 9),” Su Mo quickly reported the positions. “Watermelon and ZenSlasher, make another detour, keep an eye on the marksman’s position, and hide behind the pillars to avoid detection.”
The burst of action came very quickly. During the tremors of the ground, the Xiaoyao team began to pull ahead. They rapidly advanced with their rear-positioned formation, and with the assassins not yet showing themselves, all the pressure fell on the array master and magical swordsman. Despite being two fragile characters, they exerted powerful defensive capabilities, keeping Willow Wisp at bay and preventing him from advancing.
At this moment, the Glazed Palace’s floor tiles began to change, with elevations and depressions appearing.
Both teams quickly repositioned themselves. BrokenOracle immediately locked onto Apple’s position, charging forward with the intention of suppressing Apple at a critical moment. At the same time, UnchainedWanderer also acted, leading to a brief but intense clash.
The first change in the Glazed Palace tiles appeared before everyone.
Standing at the high positions were Apple, Watermelon, and Willow Wisp.
“Oh my god, BrokenOracle was trying to prevent Apple from getting up there, wasn’t he?”
“I saw that too. If it weren’t for the array master charging up to block, Apple might have been stopped.”
“It’s so intense. Is the Xiaoyao Team planning for a quick resolution?”
“The Xiaoyao Team knows that the Advertising Team is aware of the mechanism, so they are trying to counter their ranged attacks. BrokenOracle must have anticipated that Momo would position the array master and healer at the high ground,” SkilfulEmptyHand observed. “If that previous move had been a mistake, the magical swordsman might have fallen into BrokenOracle’s control zone. The array master’s reaction was indeed quick.”
FirstUnderHeaven said, “The magical swordsman relies heavily on the performance of teammates in a skirmish, so Apple is likely to be targeted throughout this match.” He continued, “The way to handle the mechanism is to counter it by using it against itself. The faster you play, the more advantage you have. The Xiaoyao Team is likely aiming for a quick resolution, and don’t forget their Doaist priest is also at the high ground.”
CloudTraveller and Midnight Bell listened to the commentators’ perspectives but felt that something was amiss.
Both teams had faced each other before, and strategies were rarely the most obvious things. The bird’s-eye view could capture the intensity of the confrontation but was less able to reveal the underlying constraints. Sometimes, a visually appealing battle did not necessarily indicate a winning trend.
“What do you think?” CloudTraveller asked, rarely looking towards Midnight Bell. “Something seems off with Willow Wisp.”
Midnight Bell looked at the array master on the field. “Willow Wisp is being constrained. The array master managed to restrain two people within the first 30 seconds.”
The array master had restrained both the Doaist priest Willow Wisp and the frontline warrior, thus limiting the Xiaoyao Team’s advance. The array master’s strategy was centered around the array. Although it appeared that the Xiaoyao Team was dominating, UnchainedWanderer’s array had effectively blocked much of their path, causing them to subconsciously choose easier routes, which led to Willow Wisp, the Doaist priest, being positioned further back and causing a split in their formation.
Despite the intense scene, the atmosphere within the Advertising Team remained lively.
Apple said, “Their lineup was really solid. I got hit by two crowd controls in a row, and thankfully Brother Wanderer helped out.”
“I could only run along the wall,” Cantaloupe said. “Their marksman was too far away, and the Doaist priest was focusing on me. It was really hard to hold on, but I managed to survive.”
Watermelon couldn’t help but add, “Can I come in now? My legs are numb from crouching.”
ScarletFruit replied, “Numb? It’s a holographic game, and you’re still feeling numb!”
Watermelon responded, “Do you think hiding under the marksman’s nose isn’t a skill? It’s really tough, you know?”
ClearWind complained, “Well, if you’re numb, you’re numb. ZenSlasher hasn’t even said anything, and you’re whining after just a few minutes.”
ZenSlasher added, “It wasn’t even two minutes.”
“If you can’t stay hidden and are unhappy about it, how about you run while I hide later?” Cantaloupe, panting heavily from running, finally reached a high point and had a moment to rest. He quickly continued to heal the array master below. “This wave is a bit tough. The opponent’s Doaist priest and warrior can attack you, and the marksman is changing positions.”
Su Mo noticed the positioning of Willow Wisp, who was at coordinates (9,6). Though not very far, he was close enough to be a significant threat. Fortunately, Willow Wisp wasn’t a threat to Apple at the moment. Su Mo said, “Their commander is very perceptive and is already tightening their formation. If I’m not mistaken, their next move will be to target the array master.”
“Then let’s go all out,” Yu Zhen said. “Cantaloupe, keep an eye on me.”
The Xiaoyao team paid attention to the details.
Especially after the array master saved Apple, Haitang noticed the positioning issue immediately. The rising and falling positions made the battlefield division clear. BrokenOracle was in the vicinity of the array master, creating a control encirclement with Willow Wisp. “Focus on killing the array master first. Marksman, watch out for the assassins.”
The marksman said, “The glazed bricks are a bit tricky. Be careful. I’ll keep an eye on things from the back row.”
The threat of the array master was considerable. Even without a frontline to break the formation, the array master managed to force them to adjust their positioning with the array, dividing them due to their subconscious avoidance of damage. The wide space made it easier to lose track of distances. They predicted the general location based on position number changes, but the healer was too far back. In the end, Willow Wisp had to stand on one of the bricks, but they hadn’t anticipated the formation issue.
BrokenOracle had faced ReturnToSimplicity before, back at the Valor Peak hunting grounds. He had personally felt the pressure from the marksman. Even without a clear professional advantage, the marksman had managed to kill him within just five minutes, making him acutely aware of the disparity in operational skill.
So when he learned that ReturnToSimplicity had switched to playing as an array master, he was somewhat perplexed. He thought that playing a marksman would better showcase their full capabilities. However, after facing them, he quickly understood.
Individual skill alone was only one aspect; the true strength lay in the opponent’s ability to use a more support-oriented profession to create dominance. The intangible pressure exerted by such a force was lethal. Even when they had the advantage, there were still vulnerabilities in their approach from the opponent’s perspective.
UnchainedWanderer and Momo represented two different types. Momo controlled the entire game quietly, making the loss feel inexplicable, while UnchainedWanderer was more direct and aggressive, launching strong attacks and achieving his goals through sheer force.
There was no time to hesitate—the array master had to be killed.
BrokenOracle immediately pressed towards the array master, with the help of the high-positioned Doaist priest Willow Wisp, putting pressure on the array master and forcing him away from the healer’s healing range. Yet, the array master handled the situation with ease, showing no fear despite their assault. Even under the protection of the healer, he boldly engaged in direct combat, leaping across the glazed bricks and avoiding the warrior’s attacks while still managing to deploy arrays to harass them.
BrokenOracle had controlled him several times, but each time, the array master broke free. The healer above was still holding onto dispel spells that proved ineffective. The array master grew increasingly bold, showing no intention of advancing further and instead continued to hover near the healer’s vicinity.
The situation became tricky at this point, especially with a high-positioned magical swordsman adding pressure to the group.
They found themselves entangled in mutual restraint. Doaist priest Willow Wisp controlled the array master from a high position, while magical swordsman Apple focused his firepower on BrokenOracle and the warrior. The healer continuously healed the array master at the firepower center, and with the array master’s defensive array, it was quite difficult to rely on a healing ban to force a kill.
The magical swordsman’s attacking power was far superior to Liu Xu’s. This firepower cover restricted BrokenOracle’s positioning.
“Really hard to kill,” said Haitang.
“Keep an eye on the healer’s positioning. Hasn’t the assassins moved yet?” BrokenOracle asked.
The marksman had observed the pillars for a long time without seeing anything, and with the frontlines in a stalemate, he could only take a risk in repositioning. “The glazed bricks’ fluctuations are too hard to observe. I haven’t found anything on my end; they might have gone to your side. Be careful of a flanking maneuver…”
Before he could finish, he suddenly heard the sound of an assassin’s blade and then saw the female assassin appearing with a sudden attack. The opponent had silently approached him using stealth and launched a full-state ambush.
“Assassin is here!” The marksman immediately tried to evade, but the female assassin’s entangling abilities were too strong.
Even though he used counterattacks to avoid the assassin’s strikes, the female assassin continued to press forward after evading. She had been waiting for the right moment when the healer went to support the frontlines, taking advantage of the warrior’s absence. The marksman, who was almost glued to the healer for protection, made it challenging to kill anyone, but if distance became an issue, they could seize the opportunity.
Haitang quickly realized the problem and instructed Willow Wisp to assist the marksman.
She also paid attention to ZenSlasher. ZenSlasher was not a particularly renowned assassin; in fact, she had a poor reputation in the past. Although her teammates had clarified the situation, she still appeared somewhat insignificant compared to the powerful teammates.
Before the match, Haitang had reviewed some of ZenSlasher’s information. She did not seem like a particularly strong assassin and did not appear to be much of a threat. However, Haitang noticed that in the match against Zenith Expanse, ZenSlasher had been merciless in eliminating opponents, revealing that ZenSlasher was not to be underestimated.
Perhaps due to frequent chases in the wild in the past, she was exceptionally skilled at stealth and knew how to quickly select and approach opponents amidst a crowd. ZenSlasher’s assassin gameplay was neither reckless nor impulsive; instead, she played cautiously and with precision. If she couldn’t kill someone, she would retreat, but she would firmly hold onto any opponent she could kill.
For example, despite knowing there was a Doaist priest in the air providing strong control, she was fearless. She activated immunity and continued to pursue the marksman. ZenSlasher used her full abilities but did not rush to use high-damage, charge-up skills. Instead, she opted for easily executed close-range skills for pursuit. This relentless and tight engagement, combined with the immunity time, allowed her to continuously interrupt the marksman’s defense.
Haitang realized she had overlooked the unassuming assassin, “Healer, go back and save them. There’s another assassin.”
The Advertisingement team indeed had another assassin. As ZenSlasher’s immunity time ended and she was immobilized by the Doaist priest, Watermelon, hidden in the shadows, activated his own immunity. This time, he went all out, knowing the marksman’s habits from their earlier encounters. Even though he had lost in the first round, he was well aware of the marksman’s [one shot, one kill] tactics.
He seized this moment.
With ZenSlasher’s close-range assault providing cover, it didn’t matter if the marksman saw his position; seeing it didn’t change his resolve. Watermelon was determined to take the risk and strike while the opportunity was ripe.
ScarletFruit shouted, “Watermelon, have your legs gone numb from crouching!”
ClearWind added, “Watermelon, you’re the hope of the whole team!”
Under everyone’s gaze, Watermelon swiftly maneuvered to the back and eliminated the marksman with decisive force. The combined assault of the two assassins, coupled with the immunity time, allowed him to capitalize on the healer’s positioning gap and immediately target the kill.
[[Glazed Palace] playerWhatAHugeWatermelon eliminated player OneArrowforEveryKid]
[Wow, just like that???]
[ZenSlasher is pretty strong. How did I not notice her melee capabilities before?]
[Yeah… she really timed it perfectly.]
[She’s going after the healer now.]
ZenSlasher used her immunity to charge towards the healer while another Doaist priest was about to cast control. The situation wasn’t over yet; she needed to stop the healer from reviving immediately.
Watermelon quickly went invisible and said in the voice chat, “ZenSlasher, thanks.”
“Stay invisible and watch the healer,” ZenSlasher instructed. “I’ll draw the Doaist priest’s fire; he won’t be able to kill me quickly.”
Su Mo glanced at the female assassin, who was at half health. No assassin was ever fully satisfied with just supporting; most assassins were aggressive. However, ZenSlasher chose to forego immediate kills to focus on auxiliary attacks. Her timing was precise, a skill Watermelon couldn’t match. This ability to seize the right moments made her incredibly effective.
Although she wasn’t a top-ranked assassin, Su Mo knew she was superior to most of those on the leaderboard. Her excellence lay in her meticulousness and patience, making her a highly effective partner in any team.
“ZenSlasher, great job,” Su Mo adjusted his strategy, “The three blocks of bricks on your left can block attacks from above. That’s a blind spot for the Doaist priest. Focus on keeping the healer occupied and don’t let him revive anyone.”
ZenSlasher responded, “Got it.”
The live stream quickly became lively due to the sudden attack. The female assassin, ZenSlasher, had delivered an outstanding performance. The area she entered wasn’t absolutely safe, yet she boldly went in to eliminate the marksman. This move took everyone by surprise; even if she couldn’t kill the marksman outright, she created an opportunity for her team to secure a kill.
“ZenSlasher’s play was truly impressive,” SkilfulEmptyHand said. “In that situation, I wouldn’t have dared to go in for the kill. The Xiaoyao team probably didn’t expect ZenSlasher to strike at that moment. Everyone would have aimed for the healer, but she went after the marksman instead.”
FirstUnderHeaven added, “She’s indeed remarkable. Instead of using a burst skill, she effectively controlled the marksman. I’ve never seen an assassin used so effectively before. It’s a pity she’s not playing something like an array master; she might be even stronger.”
CloudTraveller disagreed, “Choosing the assassin was the right call for her. Don’t forget, she can both secure kills and play support. Her ability to switch between offensive and supportive roles is what makes her so effective. To put it abstractly, ZenSlasher is like a versatile weapon.”
And now, that versatile weapon was in Momo’s hands.
An excellent commander excels at uncovering their teammates’ strengths. The core of the double assassin strategy was to strike swiftly and decisively. Against BrokenOracle’s strong control lineup, the assassins needed timing and coordination to truly shine. While Watermelon had secured a kill, it was ZenSlasher who played the pivotal role.
With one marksman dead, Dispel Cloak became ineffective.
The invisible Watermelon became a looming threat for the Xiaoyao team, forcing the warrior to protect the healer.
The array master, half health and half mana, survived amidst the siege, thanks largely to Cantaloupe’s ongoing healing. Despite several instances of no-healing restrictions, at critical moments when health was about to hit zero, healing marks kept him barely alive, managing to escape death three or four times.
The battlefield was now smooth again, and the marksman’s body lay where it had fallen. The opposing healer, not one to be underestimated, took the opportunity to revive the marksman as soon as things settled. However, the revival lasted only a short time. The low-health marksman, trying to use his fire eye skill, was met by the reappearing Watermelon and swiftly killed again before the healer could provide any more support.
Watermelon remained invisible to guard the corpse, while the Xiaoyao team’s healer was in a 3-minute cooldown for revival. ZenSlasher immediately took a detour to harass the Doaist priest, Willow Wisp. Willow Wisp had many control abilities but weak offensive power. Without a strong output marksman, the Xiaoyao team’s firepower slowed down significantly. Choosing to position a warrior in the front line, their firepower was much weaker compared to the Advertising team.
Despite this, the Advertising team still couldn’t find an opportunity to break down the Xiaoyao team’s formation.
BrokenOracle was incredibly powerful. He delivered the output of two players on his own, coordinating with the warrior to control the array master and magical swordsman at critical moments. As the current top-ranked player in Celestial Horizon, his strength was formidable, and his ability to withstand pressure was exceptional.
With his output capability remaining strong while applying pressure, and given the numerous controls from the Doaist priest, BrokenOracle skillfully managed his skill output, focusing all the firepower on the magical swordsman while leaving the control to the array master. The array master had already used too many skills in the previous siege and had no control skills left. BrokenOracle capitalized on this to exert control and bought time for his teammate healer to maneuver.
With the match running for two hours, as long as the healer’s cooldown was sufficient to revive the marksman, they would still have a chance to retaliate.
BrokenOracle held his ground.
[Being the top-ranked player really shows. He managed to hold off three people.]
[BrokenOracle is so strong. I thought it was going to collapse, but he actually held on.]
[Cantaloupe has been healing Apple the whole time. It’s clear that BrokenOracle put a lot of pressure on Apple.]
[The magical swordsman had no cover and was in a tough spot. Doesn’t the Advertising team consider buffing the magical swordsman?]
“It’s so tough. I had no idea being targeted by a Doaist priest could be so frightening,” Apple said. “I felt like a target. Once this is over, I’m going to find him in the group and settle the score.”
“I’m struggling too. If I hadn’t been watching you, it would have been disastrous,” Cantaloupe said. “Can’t we just take down BrokenOracle first?”
“Impossible,” Yu Zhen replied. “The warrior is providing cover while protecting the healer.”
Watermelon asked, “Can’t everyone go for it?”
“Not possible. If everyone goes in, you’ll end up in the control zone of the two Doaist priests.”
Su Mo also noticed the issue. With a team setup like Xiaoyao’s, losing one firepower source meant falling into a passive state. But BrokenOracle managed to disrupt this passive environment. In less than a minute, he delivered an incredibly high amount of damage. Facing such an opponent, the pressure of a direct confrontation was enormous. Even with two assassins attacking together, it was difficult to take down such a formidable foe.
“We can’t kill him, but we can try to take down other targets first.”
The ground rumbled, and Su Mo said, “His tenacity now is just to delay time. We should go after the healer.”
If Su Mo had been unsure about whether his team could defeat BrokenOracle without knowing the mechanism, now that they had control of it, they had to play it smart. If a direct confrontation wasn’t possible, they had to work around it. Facing an opponent they couldn’t kill, they had to remove all of his support, just like pulling up weeds.
“Animals changed positions. The coordinates are…”
The live stream was still marveling at the top-ranked player’s prowess, but in the blink of an eye, a new round of competition had begun. This time, three people stood on the glazed bricks: Apple and Cantaloupe from the advertisement team, and Xiaoyao’s healer who was still asleep.
“Damn, the healer moved up,” Watermelon said, surprised. He had hoped to sneak up on someone, but the person he wanted to ambush was already in a high position.
ScarletFruit remarked, “Sneaking up on someone isn’t that easy. But even if we can’t kill the healer, he can’t save the marksman.”
“We can kill him,” Yu Zhen said, glancing at Apple’s position. “Apple, save your skill and focus on the healer.”
[So, the fight is happening below.]
[With dual Doaist priests, a warrior, and dual assassins array master, are they going to clash head-on?]
[Hard to say; it looks like the distance has increased.]
Xiaoyao’s dual Doaist priests were extremely sharp this round, directly locking onto the array master. They were very clear that the array master was also a core team member, and as long as they could kill the array master, they could dismantle the combination of the array master, magical swordsman, and healer. The two assassins had no choice but to reveal themselves and engage the Doaist priests. The battle among the shifting Liuli bricks was intense, with skills being exchanged back and forth, while both sides’ healers’ healing effects never ceased.
“It feels like the assassins have a bit of a disadvantage against the Doaist priests,” said Miaoshou Kongkong. “They haven’t gained a good advantage.”
CloudTraveller frowned. “It seems like the advertisement team is getting a bit anxious. Their skills are being wasted.”
[It seems like the assassins’ skills were used ineffectively.]
[They’re still being reckless…]
[Wasting skills has given the Doaist priests an opportunity.]
[The array master has been targeted and has no space to output.]
[The array master is providing support. He has given Apple and the assassins several layers of array.]
[Wait, what is the array master doing!]
At this moment, the Advertising team’s array master suddenly stopped fleeing. Using the rising glazed bricks to move upwards, he applied two layers of increased damage array to the high-positioned magical swordsman. He activated the Celestial Punishment Gods skill, enduring attacks from all directions with the cooldown-free immunity. Amidst the height differences of the glazed bricks, he stacked 4 layers of increased damage on the magical swordsman.
Originally focused on locking down the Doaist priest, Apple immediately targeted the distant healer after gaining the increased damage buff. Once the array master had used his healing suppression skill, Apple promptly unleashed the ultimate skill he had been saving. To ensure success, he also activated the quest skill that reduced casting time and increased range. Before the healer could react, the powerful burst attack took him down.
SkilfulEmptyHand straightened up in surprise. “Apple actually saved such a powerful ultimate skill?”
FirstUnderHeaven was astonished. “He had been outputting so intensely just now, and he still had skills left?”
“The skills were a diversion,” CloudTraveller frowned. “They used the skills to create a false impression, making Xiaoyao’s team think they were focusing on killing BrokenOracle…”
The key was still those four layers of increased damage array. Without the increased damage array, Apple would not have been able to kill the healer.
This round caught Xiaoyao’s team off guard. The previous assassin harassment and attacks were all a cover to conceal their true killing target. The sudden strong kill on the healer was too unexpected.
“My God, 3v5!!!” SkilfulEmptyHand was stunned by the sudden reversal of the situation. “The Advertising team played this round incredibly aggressively, applying intense pressure!”
“Being high up doesn’t necessarily mean safety,” CloudTraveller said with a smile. “The Advertising team understood the mechanism perfectly, and Apple also had a skill that expanded his range.”
Midnight Bell remarked, “With the firepower disadvantage, BrokenOracle tried to find an opportunity to catch the array master, but the opposing team didn’t give them a chance.”
[Incredible.]
[Array master and assassin providing support—learned something new.]
[This is extreme. Without killing the marksman, they were at a disadvantage.]
[The marksman really was killed.]
[So strong, so strong, everyone on this team is amazing!!]
The death of the marksman marked the beginning of their downfall. With the healer gone, only the two Doaist priests and the warrior remained.
Even with BrokenOracle’s remarkable abilities, he couldn’t sustain the strong offensive without healing support. After valiantly taking down two assassins, he too fell to the array master’s attack.
The battle had been intense and fierce, with both sides’ powerful formations clashing to create an excellent matchup. From the start, the fight was high-stakes and explosive, with neither side wasting any time. Both teams were calculating their moves, and the one who seized the opportunity first emerged victorious.
The five members of the Advertising team were mentally exhausted. Honestly, this match was the most nerve-wracking they had ever experienced. Though there had been some banter during the match, they were under immense pressure, and no one wanted to make a mistake. By the time they returned to the finals, they were so worn out that they slumped onto the floor.
Apple said, “I need to step away for a moment.”
Watermelon added, “I’m tired and need a nap.”
ClearWind remarked, “I still feel a bit dizzy from the match.”
During the preparation time, they had said nothing, but when the 2v2 format was announced, Su Mo decisively chose BitterGourd and FireworksAndLanterns.
Bitter Melon nervously asked, “What if we lose?”
Yu Zhen, seeing the exhausted teammates, smiled and said, “Isn’t the point of a relaxation match to have some fun after all the hard work?”
“Hitting the dance floor was too exhausting,” Cantaloupe said, lying down. “Boss, just let us enjoy a casual game.”
