Vol-2: 085. The social etiquette of Azure Star is: throw a punch first, and while punching, solve the problem.
085. The social etiquette of Azure Star is: throw a punch first, and while punching, solve the problem.
Here it comes!
Li Aozi's pupils contracted, and his body cracked open with countless scarlet blood streaks.
His flesh was severed at the molecular level by some force.
Under the passive damage reduction provided by [Gravity] and the Beta tier's special effects, the high real damage caused by the shattered mirror world did not bring him to the brink of death but instead revealed the approximate location of the opponent.
Watching his health drop to single digits in an instant, Li Aozi remained calm. The low health triggered the [Desperate Counterattack] talent, raising his speed and output to the maximum.
The sound of wind swept up like a veil quickly skimming the ground. A strong sonic boom rumbled deeply, and in an instant, a tall figure rushed into Li Aozi's vision.
In that brief moment, [Eye of Truth] locked onto the opponent's figure.
[Gravity has no effect on this guy. If she opens the mirror world, I'll lose my target and get hit; the fire could easily burn someone to death, making it hard to wrap things up...]
In that case.
Snap!
Li Aozi quickly formulated a strategy, taking a step back, his hands snapping out nerve tendrils like whips, lashing towards the opponent, while a deep earthy color flickered in his eyes.
[Sever Life]
The tall, swift figure was instantly hit by Li Aozi's no-healing effect. Immediately after, the gravity-accelerated whip pulled taut like two long blades sweeping across the field in front of him.
Clang—
The tall [Assassin] immediately jumped in place, twisting in midair, with force surging from beneath her feet. Like a feline, she twisted her body in an instant, accelerating again as she shot straight at Li Aozi!
[Phantom Dash]
Tianhuan's [Destruction] system development was far deeper than Frost-Plated's. In a split second, the Xia Jianjing (Narrow mirror) not only completed a move completely defying physics and human biomechanics but also performed a martial technique, drawing a string of afterimages in the air. Before anyone could react, a sonic boom already rang in their ears.
Swoosh!
The gust whipped up, and a straight punch swept in instantly. Li Aozi calmly dodged slightly backward. The other's long leg immediately lifted, aiming a knee strike at Li Aozi, which he pushed away with gravity.
Crackling—
However, the [Assassin]'s movements were like a storm, relentless and continuous. After two probing attacks missed, the Xia Jianjing (Narrow mirror) suddenly threw a straight punch at Li Aozi's face, only to feint. In a clever move, she stepped between his legs, hooked the back of his knee, and with a nimble flick, sent Li Aozi sprawling backward.
Crack!
She raised her hand, clenching her fingers tightly into a fist, channeling a fierce blue-violet force, and punched directly toward Li Aozi's head!
Boom!
A violent explosion of dust and shockwaves erupted instantly. The ground trembled intensely, with numerous deep cracks and ravines splitting the earth, creating a massive pit with a diameter of about forty meters.
Buildings swayed, and huge boulders rolled down the mountainside as if an aircraft carrier had crashed straight into the ground. The members of the Akaban Squad were unsurprised, though a slight unease crept into their hearts amidst the smoke and dust:
"Did we win?"
"I've never seen the boss go to such great lengths. The strongest in the Beta tier should theoretically die as soon as they step into the mirror world."
"Hey, that guy," someone suddenly recalled something, hesitantly saying, "seems to look a bit like that Frost-Plated man from the live broadcast a few days ago."
Everyone was stunned:
"Huh? Frost-Plated? And a man?"
Boom!
The thick smoke gradually faded.
"…Whoa?"
Amid the dark yellow dust, the tall woman's figure gradually emerged. Her black pilot's leather jacket flapped in the wind, making a snapping sound like a flag fluttering. Her tight black jeans were strapped with numerous belts, securing heavy ceramic steel ballistic plates.
Her upper body was dressed casually in a dark sports bra, with a shoulder holster holding two symbolic handguns. Her waist, adorned with scars and toned abs, was exposed.
[A ten-year-old book friend recommended this reading app to me. It's so damn good! Whether driving or before bed, I rely on it to listen to audiobooks. You can download it here.]
Her short purple-gray hair fluttered in the wind. A strange expression appeared on her shattered-glass-patterned left face. Her purple-painted lips moved slightly as if wanting to say something, but in the end, she merely raised the corner of her mouth:
"Interesting. You're really not an ordinary person."
Her colorless eyes, as smooth and clear as mirrors, reflected the figure who had taken eighty percent of her punch's force.
The yellow dust billowed, pushed away by heavy claws, as Li Aozi raised his hand. His arm was partially covered in armor, deflecting the Xia Jianjing (Narrow mirror)'s punch. With his other hand, he tore through the smoke, his entire body gradually covered in dense, layered rock armor.
[Armor of Mountains]
In the next moment, the eyeholes of the armor instantly glowed with a dark red light. The Xia Jianjing (Narrow mirror)'s sharp senses immediately detected a subtle rise in temperature around her. With a swift push of her hand, she leaped back, creating distance while rotating her body.
Crack—Boom!
The thick layers of rock exploded in an instant. Li Aozi tilted his head, now fully clad in a sleek obsidian armor.
[Natural Ignition] stacking with [Armor of Mountains] — [Obsidian Battle Armor]
Li Aozi casually flicked his hand, the two nerve tendrils now wrapped in solidified lava. With a light tap, the broken edges spontaneously formed into blades, and with three quick strides, he rapidly closed in on the opponent.
Creak—
The Xia Jianjing (Narrow mirror) waved her hand, and her entire body emitted crackling sounds like popping beans. She tapped several acupoints on herself, activating the 'Domination' technique, then immediately charged toward Li Aozi.
Both of them chose to accelerate simultaneously, colliding head-on.
Clang!
Fist met sword. Li Aozi's strength was no greater than the Xia Jianjing (Narrow mirror)'s, but with the support of gravity, the sword became overwhelmingly heavy.
"Is this Tianhuan's way of treating guests?"
Li Aozi said as he smoothly withdrew his blade, simultaneously swinging both swords toward the opponent's head. The 150G gravity acceleration completely compensated for his lack of strength and speed, and the burst of force instantly sliced through the air, smashing down on the opponent!
However, the Xia Jianjing (Narrow mirror) was different from any Gamma tier he had previously encountered.
Bang—Clang!
Wrapped in force, the Xia Jianjing (Narrow mirror) used a delicate technique, lightly tapping the center of gravity on both of Li Aozi's swords. Immediately, the two obsidian blades veered off their original attack paths, leaving Li Aozi's center wide open.
"No."
Snap, snap!
The Xia Jianjing (Narrow mirror) turned her fingers into fists, skillfully landing two punches on Li Aozi's armor. As a [Destruction]-type [Assassin], even without advancing to [Annihilator] or [Rogue], she could still unleash far more terrifying destructive power than other professions.
Boom!
Li Aozi felt like he had collided head-on with a siege hammer, his simulated health bar immediately dropping by half. However, he could clearly sense that the Xia Jianjing (Narrow mirror) had held back.
"This is my way of treating guests."
The Xia Jianjing (Narrow mirror) said as she suddenly clenched her fist and swung it, but it was just a feint. In the next moment, she reappeared behind Li Aozi:
"Welcome!"