Chapter 14: Dawn of the Overlord and a Weaver’s Stand
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The pre-dawn air of June 10, 2045, crackled with tension as Lin Hao sprinted toward the Abyssal Rift, a forbidden zone beyond New Shanghai's city limits. His *Reinforced Apron*'s hidden pocket thrummed with the *Crimson Fang Core*, *Abyssal Orb*, *Wraith Crown Shard*, *Titan Heart Shard*, and *Behemoth Core Shard*, their Abyssal Energy pulsing like a warning beacon. The anonymous X message—"Weaver, the war begins at dawn. Surrender the orbs, or the city burns"—echoed in his mind, and a distant roar confirmed the Level 25 *Abyssal Overlord* was no idle threat. At Level 17, Lin Hao's *World Weaver* skills were his only hope, but with the Global College Combat Exams now fast approaching—set for July 15, 2045, just over a month away—time was slipping through his fingers like spilled spices.
[Sassy, a Level 25 Overlord?!] Lin Hao thought, clutching his *Blazing Weaver's Cleaver* and *Spiked Abyssal Wok*. [I'm barely keeping up with monsters, and now a war?]
[Hidden Quest Update: The Behemoth Core Shard points to the mastermind's base in the Abyssal Rift. Stop the Abyssal Overlord and the mastermind's war. Reward: 1,500 EXP, Legendary Artifact. Penalty: New Shanghai's Destruction,] Sassy, his sharp-tongued [System], replied. [The Overlord's got 10,000 HP and Abyssal Energy that'll fry your apron. Use Forge of the World (Level 2), Thread of Fate (Level 4), Seasoning Slash (Level 5), and Cook the World in a Pot (Level 4) with maximum creativity. The mastermind's close, Spatula Boy—end this or the exams won't matter.]
Lin Hao's chest tightened, but a fire sparked in his gut. "If it's a war, I'll serve them a dish they can't handle." He'd rallied Squad Firestorm—Su Yan, Wang Lei, Zhou Mei, and Liu Tao—who were already at the rift's edge, a jagged tear in the earth glowing with crimson light. Su Yan's *Blaze Sorceress* aura lit the wasteland, Wang Lei's *Ironclad Knight* shield gleamed, Zhou Mei's *Wind Archer* bow was nocked, and Liu Tao's *Shadow Assassin* daggers flickered in the shadows.
"Spatula Boy," Su Yan growled, her fireballs ready, "this better not get us killed before the exams. What's the plan?"
Lin Hao held up the *Behemoth Core Shard*, its glow syncing with the rift. "The mastermind's in there, with a Level 25 *Abyssal Overlord*. We stop them, we save the city. My orbs are the key, but we need to hit hard and fast."
Wang Lei grunted. "Level 25? You're mental."
Zhou Mei smirked, twirling an arrow. "Mental's his specialty."
Liu Tao's voice slithered from the dark. "Do it."
[Sassy: The rift's a death trap—Level 25 Abyssal Drones guard the entrance, 2,000 HP each. Use Thread of Fate to scout, and Forge of the World to prep for the Overlord. Move!]
Lin Hao activated *Thread of Fate (Level 4)*, weaving golden threads into a shimmering web that snaked into the rift. The threads pulsed, revealing five *Abyssal Drones*—mechanical horrors with claws like buzzsaws—patrolling the entrance. The Overlord loomed deeper, a colossal shadow with horns and molten wings.
[Scout successful! Abyssal Drones detected. Weak to energy disruption. Plan a bold opener, Spatula Boy.]
Lin Hao whispered the intel to the squad, then activated *Forge of the World (Level 2)*, summoning a glowing anvil. He tossed in the *Wraith Crown Shard*, *Abyssal Alloy*, and *Titan Heart Shard*, weaving *Thread of Fate* to bind them. The anvil flared, crafting a *Radiant Weaver's Gauntlets*—glowing gloves that boosted skill synergy by 30% and had a 20% chance to disrupt Abyssal Energy.
[Armor Crafted: Radiant Weaver's Gauntlets – +35% skill synergy, +25% defense. Special Effect: Abyssal Pulse – Disrupts enemy energy.]
"Time to cook!" Lin Hao charged, using *Seasoning Slash (Level 5)* to hurl a *Glimmering Spice Jar* cloud at the drones, creating a *Disruptive Spice Tempest* that scrambled their sensors for 600 HP damage each.
[Debuff applied: Sensor Overload – Drone accuracy reduced by 80% for 35 seconds.]
Su Yan's fireballs melted a drone, Wang Lei's shield bashed another, Zhou Mei's arrows pierced their cores, and Liu Tao's daggers sliced their circuits. Lin Hao activated *Cook the World in a Pot (Level 4)*, tossing in a *Behemoth Core Shard*, *Bookworm Scales*, and *Minotaur Horn*, weaving *Thread of Fate* for extra flair. The wok produced *Drone-Dissolving Ramen*—a glowing, spicy broth that surged through the rift, dealing 1,200 HP damage per drone and disabling them. The squad's HP recovered by 70%.
[Combo Success! Drones defeated! 600 EXP gained! Level Up! Lin Hao is now Level 18! Skill Upgraded: Thread of Fate (Level 5) – Range increased to 25 meters, binding/enhancement strength increased by 25%.]
The rift's core opened, revealing the *Abyssal Overlord*—a towering beast with molten wings and a mace of black fire. The mastermind stood on a floating platform, their cloaked form radiating menace. "Weaver, your orbs belong to the Abyss!" they roared, unleashing a wave of energy that dropped the squad's HP to 60%.
Lin Hao equipped his *Radiant Weaver's Gauntlets*, feeling their power surge. He used *Thread of Fate* to weave a massive net around the Overlord's wings, slowing its flight.
[Debuff applied: Wing Bind – Overlord mobility reduced by 60% for 30 seconds!]
He followed with *Seasoning Slash*, hurling a *Tainted Crystal* cloud at the Overlord's eyes, blinding it with a *Blinding Abyss Haze* for 700 HP damage.
[Debuff applied: Blinding Haze – Accuracy reduced by 85% for 35 seconds.]
Su Yan's fireballs scorched the Overlord's wings, Wang Lei's shield blocked its mace, Zhou Mei's arrows targeted its joints, and Liu Tao's daggers carved its back. Lin Hao activated *Cook the World in a Pot*, tossing in his *Crimson Fang Core* and *Abyssal Orb*, weaving *Thread of Fate* to amplify the mix. The wok produced *Overlord-Slaying Starfire Stew*—a radiant, explosive broth that smelled like a cosmic spice market.
He launched the stew, and it erupted, dealing 2,000 HP damage and weakening the Overlord's energy. The squad's HP recovered by 80%, and their attacks glowed like supernovas.
[Combo Success! Damage dealt: 2,000 HP! Debuff applied: Starfire Disruption – Overlord's energy weakened by 30%.]
The mastermind fired a beam, but Lin Hao used *Forge of the World* to craft a *Starfire Wok Shield* from *Abyssal Essence* and *Spectral Blade Shard*, blocking the attack. He swung his *Blazing Weaver's Cleaver*, triggering Abyssal Sever and dealing 1,000 HP damage. The Overlord's HP dropped to 3,000, but it roared, breaking free and charging Lin Hao.
"Spatula Boy!" Su Yan shouted, her fireballs blazing. The squad unleashed everything, and Lin Hao used *Thread of Fate* to bind the Overlord's legs, then *Seasoning Slash* to hurl a final *Spice Meteor* at its core, dealing 2,500 HP damage. The beast collapsed, dropping a *Overlord's Core* and *Abyssal Flame Shard*.
[Enemy defeated! 1,500 EXP gained! Level Up! Lin Hao is now Level 19! Skill Upgraded: Cook the World in a Pot (Level 5) – Range increased to 20 meters, healing/damage increased by 25%.]
The mastermind vanished, their voice echoing: "The Abyss will claim you, Weaver!" The rift stabilized, but the city trembled, hinting at more to come. X posts flooded with #SpatulaHeroSavesCityYetAgain.
Su Yan grabbed Lin Hao. "You're a lunatic, but we're alive. Exams are in five weeks—get ready."
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**Cliffhanger**:
In his dorm, Lin Hao's [System] pinged. [Hidden Quest Update: The mastermind's base is destabilized, but they're planning a final surge during the exams. Next step: Uncover their identity before July 15.] A shadow flickered outside, and his orbs pulsed wildly. An X message read: "Weaver, the Abyss awaits at the exams." Lin Hao gripped his cleaver, heart racing. "Sassy, I'm not ready for this!"
[You're a World Weaver, Spatula Boy. Ready or not, it's showtime.]
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