Fire Scorpion
Luckily for Leylin and the other judges, they were rank 2 Magi and had a very high status. Even if they were discontent, the audience did not dare show this on their faces, and instead placed their attention on the competition going on.
Leylin’s eyes brightened at this moment.
Following his gaze, there appeared a person he was interested in on an elevated stage at the southeast corner.
“Arena 34, the fifth round of the selection! Here are participant numbers 273 and 35!” The announcer was a peak rank 1 Magus dressed in formal Magus attire, his hair perfectly combed.
Almost at the very moment his words ended, a line of fire flashed, and a beautiful woman with a great body arrived at the centre of the stage.
This female Magus had voluptuous, sexy curves and had intentionally worn tight clothing, her chest bursting out of the seams of her clothes. However, she looked a little young, as if she had yet to be of age.
This angelic appearance and devilish, arousing body immediately garnered the interest of the audience.
“Oh, I remember now! She’s Fire Scorpion of the western region. She actually came here!” A Magus blurted out, and through many layers, the voice entered Leylin’s ears.
“Fire Scorpion?” Leylin was slightly flabbergasted at this nickname.
“Haha, has Magus Leylin gone to the western region before?” Also on the platform, a rank 2 Magus laughed after hearing Leylin’s voice.
He had a white cloth wrapped around his head and his pupils were blue. This was the typical style of the western region in Twilight Zone.
This Magus was the leader of a large-scale guild in the western region.
Though the central region was the main essence of Twilight Zone with many highly-ranked Magi, they could not take up all the spots for judging. It was necessary to hand out a part of the seats to Magi of the four other regions.
“Fire Scorpion is rather famous at our side, and it’s said she’s rather ruthless. She even killed a few of her husbands, which earned her nickname as the Fire Scorpion!”
Without waiting for Leylin’s answer, the rank 2 Magus continued, “Actually, if not for her specializing in fire magic, we would definitely call her the black widow!”
“No, I just hear about her occasionally.” Leylin shook his head.
What he was focusing on was not Fire Scorpion, but her opponent.
With the impatient looks of the judges on the platform, the opponent who was late had opened up a route for himself and entered the arena.
This was a youth in green Magus robes, a sinister look in his eyes.
“Hmm, this youth?”
Before Leylin could speak, the rank 2 Magus was already surprised.
“What is it? Do you know him?” Leylin asked with a smile.
“Yes! The Magus in green robes is another formidable character known in the western region— Green-robed Carl. How unexpected that they’re matched together in the first round!”
The rank 2 Magus also from the western region sighed lightly, as if finding it a pity that these two geniuses were matched so early.
”Green-robed Carl?” Leylin was laughing inside.
Rank 2 Magi were very sensitive to auras. Whoever they met with, if left with a deep impression or memorable aura, the next time they met, it would be difficult for the other parties to conceal themselves.
For this reason, the Magus was confident in his judgement.
However, through his mole, Ernis, Leylin spied on his opponent.
Yes. This Green-robed Carl was, in reality, Longbottom in disguise.
Through the lingering spirit in the notebook in Ernis’ hands, Leylin had watched in high definition the real Green-robed Carl being killed by them. He watched as they then skinned the man and, using special magical means, used it to transform Longbottom’s appearance.
What was even more wonderful was that Ernis had no idea that he was unwittingly leaking information while he was hell-bent on working for the dark elves. Hence, for any spells that could sense and test one’s thoughts, there was no reaction at all, which allowed him to survive.
At this moment, the A.I. Chip sounded.
[Skin Covering spell model has been completely analysed. Inputting into rank 1 spell model database!]
This Skin Covering spell was what Longbottom used to deceive everyone. Though it was only at rank 1, mysteriously it was able to trick even rank 2 Magi.
In addition, this spell did not originate from Twilight Zone, but rather, from a hidden inheritance of the dark elves. No Magi would expect this.
It was a pity that Leylin knew this beforehand, which caused their hard work to be in vain.
Even this spell model had been intercepted and taken by Leylin in secret and, with the A.I. Chip, completed.
If Longbottom knew this, he might really spew out blood.
Leylin had a sick interest in this but held it in.
Sometimes, the fruits of victory would taste better when waited for.
“Who do you think has the larger possibility of winning?” All these thoughts passed through Leylin’s mind, but he still continued the conversation with the rank 2 Magus.
“Hm…” The rank 2 Magus muttered to himself and decided, “Though Carl’s corrosive spells are renowned, and he possesses a middle-grade magic artifact, Fire Scorpion is a decade older and thus, has accumulated a decade more of experience. In addition, fire energy particles are capable of restraining corrosive-type energy particles, which is very remarkable.”
“I think differently. Perhaps that kid called Carl can really create miracles!” Leylin laughed lightly.
“Oh? Can you tell me the reason?” The old Magus looked interested.
“About that, please let me keep it a secret.” Leylin rejected with a slight smile.
“You…” The old Magus laughed as well, but gave more attention to arena 34.
Meanwhile, Longbottom who had transformed into Green-robed Carl, was feeling terrified. “Damn it, a rank 2 Magus’ gaze swept this location quite a few times. What is it that piqued their interest?”
He quickly considered, “I previously gained much information regarding Carl’s habits, and I’ve even secretly grasped his signature spells. The Skin Covering spell shouldn’t have an issue, so what went wrong?”
“No, it’s possible that there’s nothing wrong. It’s just that my battle with Fire Scorpion has attracted their attention! After all, this is still the start. It’s very rare that two official Magi get matched together at the start.”
Longbottom racked his brains, considering it from all angles. If Longbottom knew everything had happened only because of Leylin’s sick sense of humour, he might really get so mad that he would collapse.
This careless attitude of his had obviously enraged the opposing Fire Scorpion.
“Carl, you dare underestimate me! I’ll make you pay the price!”
Fire Scorpion was so furious that her face was flushed red, her chest quivering and shaking her breasts, which caused the surrounding Magi to hiss in excitement.
“Fire Scorpion!” Fire Scorpion shouted under her breath, and quickly began to chant in broken sentences and syllables.
Traces of bright red energy particles converged, forming large numbers of little scorpions crawling out from the ground and surrounding Longbottom.
“Rain of Corrosion!” Longbottom chanted in a low voice.
Droplets of green rain fell from mid-air, and every time the droplets made contact with the ground, a faint sizzling sound of corrosion could be heard even as white gases were being formed.
After the white gas disappeared, a deep hole was seen on the ground.
Those fire scorpions were even more pitiful. Clustered raindrops were inclined towards them, and in no time, they had all turned into a pool of pus-like liquid.
“It’s appeared! Green-robed Carl’s Rain of Corrosion! It's an omnidirectional attack with no dead angles, with an offensive power of up to 40 degrees!” A Magus of the western region who had his head wrapped shouted excitedly.
Whether it was the corrosive raindrops or the fire red scorpions, the moment they reached the boundaries of the elevated stage, they would immediately fall apart due to the layer with translucent defensive ripples, turning into pure energy particles and being absorbed into the spell formation.
This was a defensive and absorption spell formation that was set up under every stage to limit the damage range to within the stage.
“Flames of Rebirth!” At this moment, Fire Scorpion’s expression showed her confidence in prevailing.
With her chants, a blue fireball suddenly appeared and exploded in front of her. The small blue flames dispersed like starlight and fell into the liquid on the ground.
*Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!* Like flower petals, blue flames blossomed on the ground, and fire scorpions crawled out once more, spitting threads of fire.
“Rain of corrosion!” Longbottom yelled once again, corrosive raindrops falling.
“It’s useless!” Fire Scorpion shot out a spark and revived the red scorpions that had fallen.
“I have more spiritual force than you, and the spell ‘Flames of Rebirth’ absorb 50% of the energy I’ve expended from using spells. With such a fierce consumption in our competition, you’re definitely not a match for me!”
Fire Scorpion attacked and did not forget to hurt her opponent’s morale with her words.
“Damn it!” With the increase in red scorpions, Longbottom’s activity scope had been reduced to a corner of the stage, and he looked about to fall off.
“If I didn’t have to worry about those rank 2 Magi, I would use my true strength! With just one hand, I can drain you till you become a dried-up corpse!”
Longbottom thought mercilessly. “I can only use that.”
He punched his hand deep into the ground, and traces of black liquid appeared from within his arm and entered the surface of the ground.
“Gushing Dark Springs!” A black corrosive fluid first appeared under Longbottom’s fist, spreading in all directions like a ripple.
The red scorpions were drowned by the black fluid.
Though Fire Scorpion was expending all her effort on employing ‘rebirth of the flames’, the fire scorpions that were resurrected were still swallowed up by the black spring.
After seeing this, Fire Scorpion turned deathly pale.
Finally, the moment the black fluid was about to cover her body, she raised her right arm, “I admit defeat!”
“Hmph!” Seeing this, Longbottom had to give up all thoughts of pursuing the matter despite his unwillingness to do so.