397 Mage-Nemesis (1/2)
Closely after Aldaris was knocked flying, an unexplainable sparkle twinkled in Zi’s pupils; like a peerlessly sharp pointed tip that emitted chilling rays. This was the sign of a powerful controlling and damaging ability of hers - ‘Force Needle-Explosion’.....at this moment, once Aldaris received her most lethal technique, even if he wasn’t stunned, he would surely sink into near-death state.
Yet at this moment after he crashed down, Aldaris lifted his head and casted a sly smile. Gripping his bewitching bone-dagger, his right arm blurred abruptly in motion,
A ferocious hurling motion!
Concurrently, when Aldaris sprayed out a mouthful of blood as he was struck by the ‘Force Needle-Explosion’, his bewitching bone-dagger had whirled in like a boomerang, deeply stabbing into Zi’s underbelly; blood soaked and ripping, before his dagger spiralled back into Aldaris’s hand!
Vividly seen, the tooth white bone-dagger’s shaft consecutively transformed into a bloodied red, as insipid black air rings of ripples diffused out. All of a sudden, Zi tottered backwards as if she was on the verge of collapse! On the contrary, Aldaris abruptly became revitalized, and his lips curled into a surreptitious snicker.
”Zi is most likely going to lose.” Reef suddenly spoke out. ”That guy’s light-green (Maturing) grade dagger is called ‘Mage-Nemesis’, which originates from the Lord of the Rings world. In the third age, year 3019, 3rd day of the 11th month, Gríma Wormtongue drove this dagger into Saruman’s back, killing him ultimately. That weapon doesn’t have high offensive powers, but it has a special property. Every time it lands an attack, it will inflict additional damage and burn off a portion of MP. Its additional damage has a very high precedence, and it’s worth x4 of the opponent’s intelligence!”
”That property complementing with Aldaris’s ‘Vampirism-Touch’ ability, allows him to successfully heal a terrifying portion of his health. This is because the lifestealing ability of his ‘Vampirism-Touch’ even counts in the burnt portion of the opponent’s MP!”
(Author: If you still don’t understand, let me give an example. If Zi’s intelligence was 50, while its base damage is 10 points, and Aldaris inflicted a blow to her under the condition that her defence is 0 points. He would then inflict damages of (10 + 200) to her health, and (+200) to her MP. His ‘Vampirism-Touch’ ability has a 30% lifestealing property. Then with one strike, Aldaris can heal (3.3 + 66 +66 = 135) HP! )
Yet if Zi didn’t possess much MP, then naturally Aldaris wouldn’t be able to ignite his ability; causing his life stealing abilities to be greatly impaired. Thus, Aldaris had chivalrously allowed Zi to recover first, before initiating the duel. Regrettably, this method couldn’t be used against Reef…...firstly, Reef possessed a low intelligence attribute. Secondly, even without MP, his ‘Shattering Cardiac Roar’ didn’t require MP. Moreover, his remaining passive abilities and equipments didn’t require MP...
Following that, Aldaris altered his battle style, adopting a rather leisure and carefree concept. It was until later, that his earlier comical scenes of wiping off blood from his nose and sprinkling the blood to the ground finally surfaced. Aldaris actually managed to unleash an enveloping ionic storm, with a tremendous radius, into the area. Dazzling impetuous rush of electric ions wantonly shredded through the atmosphere in a winding brilliance. This large area of effect assaulting ability could not segregate friend nor foe. However, Aldaris had managed to cast an ability ‘Blood-Elude’, that enclosed an area that he demarcated with his blood earlier on; thereby trapping only Zi inside the ionic storm.
At this moment, Sheyan suddenly noticed an ineffable flicker in Zi’s eyes, one that wasn’t resigned to admitting defeat. His heart instantly skipped a beat.
”Perhaps…...this woman has a trump card?”
However, Sheyan’s conjecture could not be verified. Trapped within the ionic storm, Zi very bluntly and peacefully conceded....then, she lightly wiped off the bloodstains of her lips and stood up. Coughing lightly, she issued.
”Prince. It has been a long time. Your abilities should’ve improved greatly. Then for the next duel, we shall choose a party battle.”
Speaking till here, Zi paused for a moment. Not fully expressing herself yet, she earnestly continued.
”A 5 vs 5 party battle!”
Right now, the opposing Growth-Hunters were only left with 6 individuals. Prince Stalo was the tacit leader of them. By suggesting a 5v5 duel, Zi was seemingly and openly conspiring against them.
Zi probably understood the fearsome capabilities of Prince Stalo, but it was possibly something that couldn’t complement teammates in a party context. Therefore, the opposing Growth-hunters had only two choices.
Form a duelling party with the remaining 4 optimal condition Growth-hunters, along with that Aldaris who had displayed all his aces so far; naturally, they would lose out in that aspect. The benefit was that they could preserve Prince Stalo as the final thread of hope.
If Prince Stalo participates in the 5v5 duel, and his personal abilities couldn’t assimilate with his party; then the overall outcome would be like a ‘4+1’ team, instead of a ‘5’. Instead, it could even have a negative backlash, turning it into a ‘4-1 = 3’ scenario! Once they lose and was left with Aldaris…...then Reef could challenge him alone!
Hence, Zi chose to establish such an invincible position; such was the scheming shrewdness of this woman!
After the pack of Growth-hunters heard the phrase ‘5v5 party battle’, Aldaris’s expression instantly sank; as though he wanted to say something but could not. Prince Stalo suddenly raised his head, his white hair fluttering in the wind as he gazed at Zi with a queer expression. His lips twitched slightly and he responded.