thefictionvixens Chapter 170 Expected Goals Achieved
Chapter 170 Expected Goals Achieved
On the main team side, everyone advances in a different way:
There were those like Dai Yueheng and Ma Xiaotao who disregarded everything and pressed forward despite the attacks from the reserve team. Then there was Xixi, who relied on her speed to weave through a sea of flowers without getting a single petal on her. And then there were those like Chen Zifeng, whose martial spirit sword moved with incredible agility, showcasing the skill and cunning of a master swordsman.
Of course, not everyone was advancing rapidly. Gongyang Mo, the level 59 support-type Soul King on the main team, was currently retreating. Faced with attacks launched by attack Soul Tools with an average level of five, Gongyang Mo, a support-type Soul Master without defensive Soul Tools, could not remain calm like his battle Soul Master teammates.
Considering the range of the soul tool, even if Gongyang Mo retreats to the edge of the arena, he cannot completely escape the soul tool's attack.
At most, as the main team advances, the reserve team, considering the issue of attack efficiency, will reduce the attack density against Gongyang Mo, or even stop attacking Gongyang Mo altogether.
However, this presents a rather passive situation for the main team. Even if the reserve team does pause its attacks on Gongyang Mo, the main team still cannot abandon their protection of Gongyang Mo.
As a traditional and orthodox support-type Soul Master, Gongyang Mo's Martial Soul is extremely powerful in support abilities, but it truly lacks any combat power, relying entirely on his teammates for protection in battle. For example, right now, Yao Haoxuan is constantly guarding Gongyang Mo's side.
The reason why the main team is considered passive is that even though the reserve team paused its attack on Gongyang Mo, the main team was still unable to get Yao Haoxuan into the battle.
After all, as soon as Yao Haoxuan leaves, the reserve team will have to take down Gongyang Mo, even if it means letting the other members of the main team get close quickly.
In team fights, taking down the enemy's support is practically an instinct for Shrek Academy students, whenever possible.
One side advanced, the other retreated, and the formation of the main team quickly split into two parts. This scene matched the reserve team's earlier assessment, but it caused Elder Xuan and Qian Duoduo, who were watching from the sidelines, to frown slightly.
"Elder Xuan, in previous All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Battle Tournaments, did the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy never use this method against us?"
The current situation is far too passive.
"No, this is not the first time I have led a team to participate in the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Battle Tournament, but the situation of using this method to divide my Shrek Academy's formation has never occurred before."
The Sun Moon Empire had never used such extreme firepower suppression tactics before. In all previous competitions, their attack density had never been as dense as these kids', let alone as accurate.
"Our Shrek Academy's support-type Soul Masters can easily keep up with the center of the group, avoiding this situation where they are unable to move an inch and can only be protected by a Battle Soul Master who is constantly retreating."
“Elder Xuan, the past is the past. Now that even our academy’s reserve team can do this, we can’t afford to be complacent. If the Sun Moon Empire also uses this method, we will truly be at a disadvantage.”
"Okay, I understand. Let's keep watching."
At this moment, the battle situation on the field had changed again. Although the reserve team forced the regular team to give up one of their combatants with powerful firepower, the other five members of the regular team were still closing in at a speed far exceeding that of the reserve team.
"The Focused Soul Cannon's charging time is too short right now, so let's move. Beibei and Sanshi, you two, activate your battle armor."
Judging from the current situation, Dai Yueheng or Ma Xiaotao will be the first to break through; we must withstand their initial attack.
The moment the situation changed, the reserve team and Cai Tou issued instructions through the internal communication system.
Although there are two genuine control-type Soul Masters in the reserve team, Tang Ya is not familiar enough with Soul Guidance Devices, while Huo Yuhao is currently busy as the main controller of the linked mobile Soul Guidance Cannon.
Since the two genuine control-type Soul Masters didn't have the energy or ability to take care of the overall control, the team command work still fell to He Caitou and Long You.
However, since Long You's current soul power level has reached level 51, he has installed many level 6 soul tools on his upgraded soul-guided power mech. These level 6 soul tools are the most effective means of attack to put pressure on and damage the main team. Therefore, Long You, who is currently the main attacker, has chosen to relinquish command and leave all control to He Caitou.
With the help of Huo Yuhao's spirit detection and shared soul skill, the reserve team moved in a very orderly manner and maintained a stable firepower intensity during the movement.
However, after being suppressed by the reserve team for nearly two minutes, the main team had reached their limit of patience. Although Soul Masters are at a disadvantage in terms of attack range, they are not without ranged attack Soul Skills.
Having already broken through to within a dozen meters of the reserve team, the regular team naturally couldn't allow the reserve team to widen the gap again.
All five inner court team members had their spirit rings glowing, indicating they were preparing to unleash their spirit skills. A roaring tiger, a crying phoenix, a sword's edge slicing through the sky, pervasive icy mist, and figures appearing and disappearing beneath the veil of the mist.
The heavy attacks were aimed directly at the reserve team members, and unprecedented offensive pressure came crashing down.
"Change formation! Centered on San Shi, communicate with energy and use the Star Diamond Defense Force Field."
In the face of the crisis, Long You and He Caitou issued the same order almost simultaneously.
The retreat cannot stop, otherwise, if they are overwhelmed now, the reserves will not be able to hold out. However, defense is also essential. If these attacks land on them, Long You and He Caitou might be able to withstand them with their soul-guided power mechs, but Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi might be taken down in one go.
"Om-"
A distinct humming sound from the soul tool rang out, and a force field shield that was both deep and dazzling, and visually both sturdy and beautiful, stood in front of Long You and the others, enveloping the seven reserve team members in an egg-shaped whole.
"Boom—buzzing—"
The attack from the inner court's regular team arrived the instant the energy defense field took shape.
The devastating yet robust energy shield trembled and hummed, nearing its limit, under such an intense attack.
A roar erupted from Xu Sanshi's mouth, and everyone could feel the immense pressure this outstanding defensive Soul Master, who possessed the Xuanwu Shield Martial Soul, was currently facing.
Fortunately, the Xuanwu Shield spirit was indeed of high quality and its defensive effect was strong enough. The Star Diamond Energy Field Shield, a spirit tool specifically designed to complement Xu Sanshi's defensive capabilities, also served its intended purpose.
The attack launched by the five members of the inner court's regular team was successfully withstood by the combined efforts of the outer court's reserve team, who also managed to achieve their earlier goal of creating distance.
Well, there was actually an unexpected surprise. The goal of widening the gap was indeed achieved immediately, but there was still one person on the inner court's regular team who, with outstanding speed, closely followed the outer court's reserve team as they retreated.
Not only did she bite down, she continued to launch attacks, attempting to break through the seemingly crumbling Star Diamond energy shield.
Judging from Xu Sanshi's trembling body, Xixi's attack was quite effective. However, the reserve team was more pleased than alarmed by this situation.
Judging from how evenly the main team advanced, the reserve team had essentially given up on separating someone to complete the elimination mission. Now, someone has broken away from the team—it's none other than the agility-based warrior, Xixi, whose defensive capabilities are quite average.
Without needing any instructions, the tacit understanding between Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and Tang Ya enabled them to work towards the same goal immediately.
Xu Sanshi deactivated the Star Diamond Energy Shield; Bei Bei's dragon-transformed right arm, carrying ample lightning energy, pressed down on the ground, activating the Thunder Hell area soul tool; Tang Ya used her Blue Silver Grass martial soul to send the supergravity generating soul tool into the Thunder Hell area.
The raging lightning and the sudden increase in gravity caused Xixi, who had previously only left behind afterimages, to suddenly slow down.
The spirit rings shone brightly once more; Thunder Hell was a regional spirit tool that combined control and attack. Due to the limitations of supergravity, Xixi, unable to unleash her full speed, could no longer rely on speed to traverse the lightning jungle.
In order to resist the golden lightning in the Thunder Hell Soul Tool, which was clearly enhanced with Bei Bei's martial soul power, Xi Xi mobilized three soul rings at once.
But it was no use; the reserve team was not about to give up such a hard-won opportunity to inflict damage. Less than half a second after the two regional soul tools, Thunder Hell and Supergravity, took effect, three thick beams of energy cannon light had already reached Xixi.
Xixi, who had always been expressionless and had an extremely low profile, finally changed her expression at this moment. She was fast and reacted quickly, and the effects of the soul skill she had just activated were beginning to appear, but all of this was not enough for her to escape the envelopment of the three energy cannon beams.
"Chong-"
The loudest phoenix cry since the start of the battle rang out. Ma Xiaotao, who had been flying close to the ground, noticed the crisis on Xixi's side and, carrying the power of her fifth and sixth black ten-thousand-year soul rings, quickly streaked across the sky and rushed towards the reserve team.
However, Ma Xiaotao's current actions can only be considered a belated attempt to salvage the situation. When an agility-type soul master loses speed, her already fragile defense, compared to others of the same level, is simply insufficient to withstand the combined attack of a level six energy-gathering soul cannon and two level five energy-gathering soul cannons.
A flash of white light appeared, and just like in the reserve team selection competition, Elder Xuan rescued Xixi at the last possible moment, thus announcing that Xixi had been eliminated from the competition.
"Disperse!"
Having already achieved the minimum objective of this competition, Long You and the others were no longer prepared to withstand Ma Xiaotao's furious attacks.
The arena for the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Battle Tournament has a height restriction. To better adapt to the arena, the arena for this battle also has a five-meter height restriction. Therefore, the reserve team did not use flying soul tools during their dispersal, but instead used anti-gravity levitation soul tools, which are more flexible in near-ground conditions.
(Anti-gravity levitation soul tools include many types, and the anti-gravity soul tool skateboard is just one of them.)
Ma Xiaotao's angry attack reserve team managed to dodge by suddenly spreading out, but the ensuing battle was rather troublesome.
Maintaining sustained, full-intensity firepower suppression, activating the Star Diamond Energy Shield to withstand the strongest attacks launched by two Soul Emperors and three Soul Kings with the assistance of support-type Soul Masters, and using the Energy-Gathering Soul Guidance Cannon—this series of actions nearly depleted the reserve team's Soul Power.
For the rest of the time, the reserve team played hide-and-seek, dodging attacks from the main team whenever possible. Only when they couldn't dodge would they use their already limited soul power to activate their defensive soul tools or defensive soul skills.
Five minutes later, the battle ended, and victory belonged to the inner court's regular team. However, none of the regular team members were in the mood to enjoy their victory. Every single one of them was gritting their teeth and staring at the seven members of the reserve team.
Unfortunately, they won, but the process was far from what the main team members had anticipated. Xixi's elimination was already a major surprise to the main team.
However, the result was not entirely unacceptable, because due to the lack of information, their tactical choices were flawed.
The reserve team possessed a soul tool capable of instantly killing Xixi, something the regular team knew, or rather, anticipated. However, because the special training organized by Elder Xuan had emphasized the application of martial souls, the regular team was unaware of the types of soul tools currently possessed by the reserve team, or even the soul tool system.
Before this, they had never seen an opponent of the same or lower level who could limit Xixi's speed.
So even though it didn't seem like a wise choice for Sisi to chase after the retreating reserves alone, the regular team members, who believed that Sisi's speed was enough to evade any attacks from the reserves, did not give up the opportunity to expand their gains.
As it turned out, it wasn't a good opportunity, but everyone on the main team, including Xixi, could accept the outcome. Because they chose to take the risk, they had to accept the consequences of that risk failing.
This is just a practice match with full safety measures in place, and some risky choices are acceptable.
But what happened next was not so easy to accept. Although the main team did not notice much difference when the reserve team first dispersed, after the reserve team's scattering and escape lasted for a minute, everyone present knew that the reserve team was at its last gasp and their soul power was about to be exhausted.