"Given how much you love bragging, I'm surprised you didn't blab about your true talent much earlier. Or is this for your favorite saying—pretend to be a pig to eat a tiger?" my cousin asked Mo Fan, openly constructing a new spell. She was still far from hidden star paths, but I applaud the attempt to distract him. Though it'd only work on her simps like Lu Zhengge—even Mo Fan wouldn't fall for that...
"I just hadn't revealed my power until the right moment, and now it's here! Today you'll lose, and I'll avenge my family's humiliation!" Mo Fan shouted, only then starting to construct a new spell. What does your family's humiliation have to do with this? That was all justified, and here you're primarily trying to hit on a girl, not get revenge! My ears were already wilting from their dialogue since I knew all his backstory, but my girls were loving it. For them, it was like watching a live-action action-drama.
My gaze shifted from Mo Fan to the poor beastie. Damn, you have time to chat, but no time to recall your crippled Fierce Wolf to the summoning dimension? Looks like I need to reassess this guy's mental capacity. Well, at least he can construct spells quickly, so he'll squirm a bit more.
Mu Ning Xue finished her spell first, and a first-tier Middle-Level wind element "Tornado" howled toward Mo Fan. Then she finally released her pseudo ice domain, significantly weakening the guy's second-tier Middle-Level fire element "Tower Fist." Because of that, it couldn't damage her spell much despite the tier advantage, and the "Tornado," dispersing it, continued toward the suddenly paling Mo Fan.
Man, the lack of a Spiritual Seed and domain suppression really hit spell power hard. That same "Tornado" of my cousin's would already be stronger than "Tower Fist" thanks to tripling its power from the Seed, while second tier is only twice as strong as first. Plus the pseudo domain strips twenty percent off the guy's spells. He could only win with sheer quantity of spells or attrition. But who would let him?
At the last moment before colliding with the "Tornado," Mo Fan finished his third-tier Beginner-Level shadow element "Flying Shadow" and barely retreated to the other side of the arena, breathing heavily. Apparently, the injuries from the shockwaves in the ice block were worse than I'd thought.
Hm, my cousin had second-tier Middle-Level cultivation in both her elements, while Mo Fan had second tier Middle-Level only in fire, and first tier Middle-Level in lightning, summoning, and shadow.
In reserves, he should have the edge in theory, but with summoning currently useless and just draining his energy to sustain the wolf, it evened out. Mo Fan had attack variety and shadow element agility, while my cousin had raw power. No intrigue there.
While Mo Fan dodged the spell and panted, Mu Ning Xue cast first-tier Middle-Level ice element "Ice Prison," boosted twenty percent by her native pseudo domain. Then three ice chains sped toward the horrified Mo Fan, but he stubbornly kept using shadow for evasions, apparently betting on wearing her down since he only used Beginner magic while she used Middle.
The ice maiden also realized playing cat-and-mouse could drag on indefinitely with unknown results. She had exactly two options: freeze the whole arena so Mo Fan had nowhere to dodge, or trap him. Since she still wanted to join the fight against me afterward, she obviously chose the second. Freezing the entire arena would cost massive energy.
That's probably why she hadn't used second-tier spells yet—they cost twice as much magic as first-tier. Against Mo Fan, either would knock him out on hit. No real need to use them... until now.
Realizing Mo Fan had no defense, just weak attacks and evasion, Mu Ning Xue kept chasing him around the arena with ice chains. Maintaining them cost magic, but not as much as the guy thought, and she could handle an attrition war. But my cousin decided to end it quickly.
When Mo Fan shadow-stepped again, now on one knee and barely breathing, Mu Ning Xue seized the moment and cast second-tier Middle-Level wind element "Wind Trap" in one corner of the arena.
Even with foam in his eyes, struggling to stay conscious, the guy noticed nothing, using the few seconds' breather to recover. One thing you couldn't take from Mo Fan was his mule-like stubbornness—I could even respect him for that.
Mu Ning Xue, having set the trap, cast first-tier Middle-Level ice element "Ice Prison" again, and the three chains predictably raced toward the guy to resume their interrupted work. Mo Fan, somewhat recovered, hopped around the arena a bit more energetically, even letting a smile creep onto his face.
He must've taken her brief pause for fatigue and found his second wind to continue the duel. Admirable resolve, but his dreams weren't meant to come true. Shifting via shadow element yet again, the guy finally entered that trapped corner.
Mu Ning Xue, not missing a beat, instantly triggered the pre-set trap, and a rapidly spinning tornado materialized under the guy's feet, whirling him inside at terrifying speed and slowly lifting him up—but agonizingly slowly.
Slow enough for my cousin's ice chains to catch up, wrap around Mo Fan, and encase him in ice for the second time in the fight. This time, though, she didn't risk it with the slippery eel of a guy and just dragged the ice block off the arena with her chains, meaning Mo Fan was out.
Not even knowing he'd already lost, the guy decided to blast second-tier Middle-Level fire element "Tower Fist" at the surrounding ice again—but he'd forgotten his magic was weakened by twenty percent, while hers was boosted by the same thanks to the pseudo domain.
A muffled explosion boomed, lighting the manmade iceberg with another orange flash. No cracks this time, and the reflected shockwaves finally knocked Mo Fan out completely, making him cough up a big mouthful of blood and lose consciousness.
I saw all this through the ice with my spatial and spiritual senses. A gruesome sight—I even respect him for such a tenacious fight. I don't think anyone will laugh at the guy for losing. He fought honorably; he just lacked money for proper pet upgrades and Spiritual Seeds. With those, the fight would've gone differently.
Well... and common sense. Who in their right mind charges the top genius of the Imperial University, backed by one of the country's strongest clans, basically bare-assed? And provoking her so brazenly. Overall, Mo Fan fought honorably, but he was at fault for his situation, so I won't pity him.
At that moment, the judge finally rushed to the iceberg and, shattering it quickly with an artifact, revealed the guy's pitiful state to the spectators.
Pale face covered in blood, torn clothes in places, minor burns all over from too-close contact with his own flames. That's how Mo Fan looked now—pitiful and defeated. Very unfamiliar to me.
Amid the spectators' stunned gasps and encouraging shouts for the guy, I realized just how much I'd changed this world with my presence.
And I'll take full responsibility for those changes. I took that burden on myself. I don't need a demonic hero to save the world. I'll do it myself... together with my girls.