Gyrus's frenzied roar still echoed through the cavern.
The Silver Domain maintained by Ilanier flickered violently, its edges thinning to the fragility of cicada wings, looking as if it would shatter completely in the next instant.
The color drained from Her Majesty the Queen's face, leaving her skin with a lifeless, jade-like texture.
No! If Her Majesty actually falls, this won't be fun anymore—it'll be a major stage disaster!
I don't want to watch some tragedy titled "The Queen's Tears and the Goblin's Laughter." That's just too cringe! I'm a pure romance fan, dammit!
Alarms blared in Lin Qingyue's mind as her gaze darted between the slippery ice floor and the trembling Gyrus.
A brilliant physics-based idea flashed through her mind.
Wait a minute... It's freezing in here, and the ice floor Su Wan created with her spell must be absurdly cold. If I hit this green-skinned goblin with a high-pressure water jet right now... would he instantly freeze into a piece of performance art ice sculpture?
If this crazy idea worked, wouldn't her Elation Value skyrocket on the spot?
No sooner thought than done
The sacred golden flame at the muzzle of Lin Qingyue's [Sky AK47] had yet to fully dissipate when a crisp click echoed from within the weapon's energy conversion mechanism.
Ammunition mode: switched!
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!
The gun's roar erupted once more, but this time, it didn't unleash the purifying golden Holy Light.
Instead, it spat out a long stream of crystal-clear water element bullets, each one trailing faint wisps of chilling mist!
The barrage lacked its previous overwhelming power, but it carried a relentless, clinging quality, like a sudden downpour drenching Gyrus from head to toe!
Gyrus was channeling all his mental energy into a vicious spike, relentlessly assaulting Ilanier's Willpower Barrier. He paid no mind to such a feeble attack.
The golden beam from before had indeed startled him, but an attack of that magnitude surely had significant limitations and couldn't be used repeatedly.
As for these water bullets?
What a joke!
"Insignificant insect! Do you think this pathetic attack can do anything more than give the great Captain Gyrus a bath?"
He even had the leisure to let out a contemptuous sneer.
Yet, when the first water element bullet struck his oily green face, his smile froze instantly.
The expected "instant freeze" didn't happen.
But the bone-chilling touch and the splash of water exploding against his head made him feel as if he'd been thrown directly into a frozen lake in winter!
Worse, the splashes landed on the smooth ice beneath his feet, making the already treacherous skating rink even more slippery!
Gyrus stumbled, nearly launching into another comical "ice gymnastics" routine.
He was forced to divert a sliver of his mental energy to stabilize himself and maintain his "artistic" dignity.
It was in that fleeting moment of distraction!
The light of Ilanier's collapsing Silver Domain flared violently, forcefully repelling Gyrus's mental spike!
"Damn it!"
Gyrus cursed inwardly, finally understanding. The purpose of these water bullets wasn't to kill!
It was harassment!
Pure, maddening harassment!
The barrage of water element bullets seemed to have eyes, targeting the most inconvenient spots on Gyrus's body.
Some splattered against his face, the icy water blinding him.
Others struck his feet, forcing him into a frantic, out-of-control waltz on the ice.
Still others precisely slipped through the tears in his clothes, clinging directly to his oily green skin!
Gyrus felt like he was going insane.
He felt like he was being swarmed by dozens of bratty kids with high-pressure water guns. From head to toe, not a single spot was dry, not a single spot was comfortable.
The icy liquid trickled down his skin, making him feel like a mangy dog dragged out of a mud pit—wet, cold, and sticky.
The carefully maintained "aristocratic air" he cultivated shattered into a million pieces.
"Stop! You vulgar woman! Stop!" he roared, utterly flustered.
The only response was an even denser barrage of rat-a-tat-tat sounds.
[Ding! Ally Ilanier's mental pressure has been greatly relieved. She finds your combat style "unique." Elation Value +999!]
[Ding! Teammate Su Wan believes you've found the correct use for the water element. Elation Value +333!]
[Ding! Target Gyrus's "artist" mentality is collapsing. Elation Value +1234!]
Although she had harvested a significant amount of Elation Value, the problem wasn't solved.
Lin Qingyue blinked, watching Gyrus slip and slide wildly across the ice.
Tsk, it didn't freeze him. What a pity. Looks like his magic resistance is high.
Her peripheral vision remained locked on Ilanier.
Her Majesty's condition had only been pulled back from the brink of collapse. Her Domain was still fluctuating violently and hadn't truly stabilized.
Gyrus's total mental power far surpassed hers.
If this dragged on, Her Majesty would still lose.
Can't waste any more time. The Queen's mana bar is draining faster than that Green-skinned Goblin's.
Looks like it's time to bring out the real heavy hitter—something that can end this in one blow.
Her mind made the decision in an instant.
Just as Gyrus was flailing under the water gun's assault, giving Ilanier another opening to counterattack and making him howl in frustration...
The infectious, cheerful BGM that had filled the entire cavern abruptly stopped.
The massive virtual Display above Lin Qingyue's head flickered twice, dimmed, and silently vanished.
The sudden silence stunned everyone.
Inside the cavern, only heavy panting and the roars of distant monsters remained. A suffocating pressure, more unsettling than the previous chaos, weighed heavily on everyone's heart.
Whether it was Aeldara and Baroque locked in fierce combat, or the Elf Legion fiercely battling the monsters, everyone subconsciously froze.
They had grown accustomed to fighting under the infectious BGM.
This sudden silence was more terrifying than the earlier barrage of attacks.
"Huh? Why did it stop?" Gyrus froze for a moment, then his face lit up with glee.
"Hahahaha! Have you run out of tricks, you damn dowry?! Now, it's my turn!"
He grinned maliciously, preparing to gather his mental power again and unleash a devastating blow on Ilanier.
However, his laughter quickly died.
He saw the pink-haired, twin-tailed idol priest slowly lower the "water gun" in her hands.
Her sweet idol outfit faded away like a receding tide, dissolving into specks of pink and blue light that vanished into the air.
As the pink and blue light dissipated, she reverted to the pink-haired girl in a simple priest's robe.
But the lighthearted, joyful, and slightly playful atmosphere vanished without a trace.
Lin Qingyue slowly raised her head.
Her gaze had changed.
Her eyes, which usually danced with laughter, were now as deep as an abyss, as still as an ancient well, as if they held the weight of a thousand years.
"The warm-up is over."
She raised her hand and snapped her fingers softly.
"Now, it's..."
"Contract time."
With a thought, she commanded, "System, use the Zhongli Trial Card!"
A power far more immense and profound than any of her previous transformations erupted within her