“Nice fight!” The team's cheers exploded around Mei Lin, a wave of relief washing over her. They'd seen it – the flicker of her old form, the potential buried beneath fumbled controls.
Through Coach Zhang's mic, his voice held a note of amusement. "Alright, let's pair you up with someone from the team." His gaze flickered between her and Qin Yue, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Qin Yue, you’ll be paired up with Mei Lin. Teng Fei, you’re with Bai An Yu.”
“What!? Me? With her? Never, not in a million years.”
Qin Yue's jaw dropped, her usual composure shattered. A harsh protest formed on her lips, but Coach Zhang cut her off, a hint of steel beneath the playful tone.
"If you two end up becoming teammates, you’re going to have to get over that history of yours.”
The words snagged on Qin Yue's sharp intake of breath. Meanwhile, Mei Lin's heart hammered against her ribs.
Oh Chen Lu, I think I'm going to be in trouble…
The virtual arena flickered into existence – a patchwork of luminous sky and pixel-laden grass stretching to a shimmering horizon. Mei Lin sucked in a breath, the team's cheers fading to a distant hum against the pounding of her own pulse. Across the field, Qin Yue stood rigid, her avatar a stoic echo of her real-life intensity.
Qin Yue's sculpted features tightened, her usual cool mask slipping. "So, we're stuck together. Great."
Mei Lin's grin remained fixed, but her fingers twitched against her virtual sword. "Oh, come on, Princess Qin. It's not that bad."
Qin Yue's eyes narrowed. "Don't call me that." The nickname, tossed out with forced lightness, landed like a stone.
Before Mei Lin could smooth things over, Teng Fei and Bai An Yu materialized opposite them. Teng Fei's grin split his character’s face as he gave them a thumbs-up. Bai An Yu offered a serene nod, her presence a soothing balm against the tension.
"Alright, you two," Coach Zhang's voice boomed over the intercom. "This is a 2v2 practice match. Don’t hold back."
The countdown materialized, each number ticking down with heavy finality. "Let's do this!" Mei Lin forced enthusiasm into her voice, determination battling a flicker of doubt in her eyes.
Despite herself, Qin Yue couldn't help a surge of anticipation. Her grip tightened on her sword hilt. This was the chance to prove the legend was nothing but faded glory. Or maybe... just maybe...
The barrier shattered, dissolving into pixel-dust. The battle roared into existence.
Teng Fei's charge was a streak of fire, his longsword blazing a trail across the digitized grass. Bai An Yu's response was a soft, luminous glow infusing him with strength, her focus unwavering.
Qin Yue met Teng Fei's assault with controlled fury. Each parry, a flash of light. Each block, a percussive burst against the air. A dance of practiced precision.
Mei Lin's sword hummed with icy magic, eager to join the fray. Yet, a mistimed spell with a misjudged trajectory in this unfamiliar digital world, sent a blast of frost veering off-course. It struck Qin Yue instead.
A jolt of surprise, a flicker of betrayal shadowed Qin Yue's features before she backstepped, the frost effect shimmering around her. "What the fuck, Mei Lin!?"
Mei Lin's wince was only half-apologetic, a lopsided grin on her face. "Oops?"
Qin Yue's retort was lost as they retreated, bickering in time with their footsteps. "When did you start playing? How is your aim this bad?"
Mei Lin, ever-defiant, put a finger to her lips in mock thoughtfulness. "Mmm... 16 hours ago?" Her sheepish grin held a spark of challenge.
Qin Yue sputtered, "YOU JUST STARTED THE GAME?"
The team's laughter echoed in the arena, a ripple effect of Mei Lin's bold chaos. "She hasn't even played for a full day but is trying out for a professional team!"
“That’s insane, what kind of nerve do you have to do that?”
Teng Fei, a whirlwind of motion and optimism, slashed through the chaos. "It's okay, Mei Lin! Friendly fire happens!" His blade scythed towards Qin Yue, then veered sharply as a burst of frost crackled where he'd aimed. Just enough to buy Qin Yue a split-second advantage.
With practiced grace, Qin Yue deflected Teng Fei's swing, then pivoted, the hilt of her sword flashing out with merciless precision. <<Hilt Slam>> pulsed, a ripple of force stunning Teng Fei. He staggered, a flicker of gold marking his crowd control immunity as he retreated.
Qin Yue watched,her stance a sculpted stillness, not a single vulnerable point in her posture.
Roots sprouted from the ground beneath her, Bai An Yu's spell blooming in a tangle of deceptively delicate vines. Trapped, Qin Yue became a target, and Teng Fei seized his chance. He leapt, landing with a heavy thud, just as Mei Lin darted from behind Qin Yue's rooted body.
She lunged, using Qin Yue's character to block Teng Fei’s sight, a flash of tactical brilliance that left Teng Fei momentarily disoriented. The familiar combo, a flaming rapier slammed into his chest, driving him back. A grunt of frustration escaped his lips. "Not again!"
Ice replaced the fire. A wave of her hand, and a crystalline wall erupted from the earth, forcing Teng Fei to crash against it. His health bar dipped, the damage clear despite the sturdy armor.
"Qin Yue, now!" Mei Lin's voice was a crackle of adrenaline.
Qin Yue's cleanse flashed, and she glowed with a golden aura. She surged forward, each step powered by gap-closing skills, the space between her and Teng Fei shrinking with alarming speed.
Bai An Yu's view was blocked. No line of sight, no way to cast a single-target heal. With the precision of a seasoned pro, she triggered her ultimate skill, <<Guardian Bloom>>. A fantastical flower unfurled, tendrils of light reaching outwards, bathing the field in a soothing glow. Teng Fei’s body glowed green as his health bar filled up.
Aw, as expected of a pro! Smart play, Bai An Yu.
Mei Lin's mind raced. This wasn't a mere duel anymore, but a chess match played at lightning pace. She had to disrupt the ultimate; otherwise, Teng Fei would become an unstoppable force, his fury meter fueled by their attacks while Bai An Yu kept him alive.
Mei Lin unleashed her ultimate. "Time for the <<Grand Finale>>!" Her sword traced a path in the air, leaving streaks of light that coalesced into crackling magic circles. Blasts of pure energy erupted, slamming into Teng Fei with thunderous force. A sizzling field of lightning crackled on the ground where he staggered.
Qin Yue was a shadow given form. The lightning zone swirled around her, boosting her speed, each step a blur as she closed the distance. Darkness pooled around her sword, painting it with a sinister sheen. The first slash landed, leaving a flickering debuff on Teng Fei's armor. She followed with a relentless flurry, a whirlwind of steel against his defenses.
Teng Fei roared, activating <<Taunting Shout>>. Qin Yue's focus locked onto him, her movements now forced and mechanical. He unleashed <<Final Stand>> – his sword a crimson streak of fury, each swing scything through her health bar.
One strike ripped away half her life. Another would be lethal, a killing blow without Mei Lin’s support. Yet, just as the fatal blow loomed, a blast of fire erupted from behind Qin Yue, knocking Teng Fei back a crucial step.
Mei Lin streaked past her teammate. The air rippled around her, the lightning field a sizzling path to Bai An Yu, who frantically shifted from casting a heal to summoning a thorny defense.
A <<Thorn Whip>> lashed out, a tangle of razor-edged vines. Yet, Mei Lin was a flicker of motion, <<Phase Shift>> carrying her through the thorny tendrils. She lunged, her blade crackling with lightning.
Bai An Yu braced herself. Her shield flared with protective energy, blunting the blow, and she leaped back with the movement speed buff, gaining distance. But that moment had been all Mei Lin needed.
Bai An Yu’s foot caught on something invisible, a ripple of ice magic disguised beneath the grass – a trap laid moments before.
Frozen, Bai An Yu barely had time to trigger her cleanse, a flash of gold against the roots, before another blur of movement caught her eye. It was Qin Yue, her final combo fueled by the Sword Saint ultimate <<Final Waltz>>. A phantom chorus of blades followed her every slash, obliterating Teng Fei's remaining health.
Defeated, Bai An Yu stood her ground, raising her hands in surrender. "You win," she offered, a rueful smile playing on her lips.
Okay, this was absolutely hilarious to read immediately after binging Untouchable. I look forward to more chapters!
Tftc, nice.