Chapter 345 - Choosing a Skill Inducement

Half a minute later, Meng Qi was hurled backward by their Skills and tumbled toward Han Wu. His body was scorched black, and faint wisps of smoke drifted from his mouth. Thankfully, he had activated all five Skills simultaneously, so his injuries remained superficial, and he could still fight.

He tearfully looked at Han Wu. “Why didn’t you come when I was getting beaten black and blue?”

Han Wu arched his brows. “Didn’t you say you were going to take them on?”

“I regret my decision,” Meng Qi admitted, almost wanting to slap himself for his foolishness. He looked even more disheveled now.

Han Wu chuckled. “Sure.”

The three Golden Lightning representatives grew serious. They had seen the video and understood Han Wu’s strength. Leng Ning had also been observing, preparing herself for the battle to come.

The Golden Lightning Academy specialized in training students with an affinity for lightning, which explained why the three opponents wielded lightning-based Skills. Though powerful and fast, lightning-based Skills were vulnerable to ice-based attacks.

Leng Ning cautiously unleashed a barrage of Frost Dragon Fangs to gauge her opponents’ strength. The three kept their focus on Han Wu and deliberately avoided retaliating toward Leng Ning. They dodged or shattered the icicles without faltering.

Quickly, Leng Ning assessed their fighting roles. One was a mage, while the other two excelled at close-range combat. Their strength was undeniable; Meng Qi’s defeat had not been a fluke.

“Han Wu, assist me,” she requested.

Han Wu nodded and released the Life Dragon Domain, which encompassed the entire arena. Leng Ning and Meng Qi felt a surge of energy swell within them. Meng Qi’s wounds began to heal as the domain’s life force coursed through him.

Meanwhile, their opponents struggled under the domain’s oppressive influence. Within its bounds, an invincible pressure weighed on them, slowing their movements. Their Skills faltered, their senses dulled, and a creeping paralysis gripped their bodies. Their strength was effectively capped at 30%.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the end of their plight. Leng Ning activated her Eight Path Frost Domain, and icy currents seeped into the three opponents’ bodies, threatening to encase them in solid ice.

“Take down the ice mage, now!” their leader barked.

The lightning mage summoned bolts from the empty air and aimed to strike Leng Ning. Meng Qi, fully recovered, positioned himself as a shield, absorbing the lightning and protecting her.

None of their attacks could pierce her defenses, while the cold relentlessly froze them. One by one, they succumbed to the ice, and the match ended decisively.

The crowd felt a twinge of disappointment; the fight lacked the spectacle of the previous match, where Han Wu had single-handedly annihilated the Violet Demon representatives. Yet it remained a solid, impressive display.

When the results were announced, Azure Sea claimed first place. As victors, Han Wu, Leng Ning, and Meng Qi earned the right to select any single Skill from the vault maintained by the Association of Academies. Each also received a crystal containing one million Assist Points.

Additionally, their academy would receive priority in resource allocation for the coming year. It would also gain various intangible benefits, though Han Wu could not measure them, as they depended on reputation and honor.

Golden Lightning secured second place, but the crowd was far from satisfied. Some called for their disqualification due to their cowardice. In the end, nothing happened; Golden Lightning’s long-standing reputation ensured their second-place claim remained valid. Violet Demon took third place. Though they were the strongest, they had the misfortune of facing Han Wu. Naturally, fourth place went to Aquamarine Wave.

After confirming their rankings, the representatives from the top four academies would have the chance to acquire the method to induce a single powerful Skill from the vault. Only Han Wu and his two companions would receive the additional reward of crystals containing Assist Points. Still, the true goal for all was the chance to select a Skill inducement.

Han Wu had learned during his fight against the Violet Demon representatives just how crucial a powerful Skill could be for survival. One could eliminate their enemies instantly.

The chief referee announced the rules. “You must rely on your own senses to identify the type of Skill and the content of each entry. You have half an hour to make your choice, and you may select only one. If you fail to choose within that time, you forfeit your chance. Understand that no one may take more than one inducement method.”

A chill ran down the spines of everyone except Han Wu. They felt as if invisible eyes were watching their every move. Only Han Wu knew this was not their imagination—the chief referee had used a Skill to monitor them continuously and to ensure no one acted suspiciously during the selection process.

“Alright, time starts now. Go choose a Skill that suits you.”

The twelve representatives ran into the vault like beasts released into the wild, racing toward the sections holding the most powerful Skills.

While everyone else scrambled to claim a Skill that suited them, Han Wu focused on the types of Skills and their organization. The Skills were arranged according to their compatibility with the seven potentials: Power, Agility, Defense, Water, Fire, Earth, and Wind. Some rare exceptions existed as well, including ice, lightning, light, darkness, demon, holy, and space.

Han Wu scanned the Skills but found nothing related to dragons or life, so he was slightly disappointed. He considered what else would suit him. His other Skills were already powerful and compatible with most of his potentials, so he primarily needed to focus on leveling them up.

As he continued browsing, Meng Qi called out, “Han Wu, can you help me?”

Han Wu frowned and approached Meng Qi, who was holding two powerful Skill inducement methods.

The first, Earth Protection, focused on Earth and Defense potential. Once mastered, it allowed the user to absorb energy from the ground beneath them to heal wounds. The user could also form a dense crust of earth and stone to shield themselves from attacks.

The second, Indomitable Vajra, transformed the user’s muscles into a mineral resembling adamantium and enhanced both defense and physical attack. This Skill leaned toward the Power and Defense potential.

“Han Wu, which one should I choose?” Meng Qi asked, torn between the two.

Han Wu examined them with his senses and advised, “Go with the latter.”

Meng Qi hesitated. He didn’t want to let go of Earth Protection. “But isn’t the first one better? It can heal me and let me fight longer.”

Han Wu shook his head. “You have plenty of defensive Skills. You need to improve your offense, or the gap between you and Leng Ning will widen again.”

Meng Qi nodded and set Earth Protection aside, glancing at it with longing. “What about the gap between me and you?”

“What gap? It’s a bloody canyon,” Han Wu said bluntly.

Meng Qi wanted to argue but realized Han Wu spoke the truth. He hated admitting it, but Han Wu was right.

Their conversation was cut short by Leng Ning’s shout from a nearby aisle. “I found this Skill first! Don’t try to take it from me!”

“You think it’s yours just because you found it first? I want it too!” Another girl called back. She wasn’t Su Mei, and the Golden Lightning representatives were all boys. She must be from Aquamarine Wave Academy.

“Let’s see what’s happening,” Han Wu said and sprinted toward Leng Ning.

Meng Qi shook off his melancholy and chased after him. “Wait for me!”