Just then, Selene's voice erupted in the living room, carrying a hint of a tremor.
"Sister! Something big happened!"
"The detailed rules for the Domain Point Competition are out! It starts in two days! And this time, we have to stay inside for a full three days!"
Two days!
Celeste's heart tightened. This timing was too tight!
The two sisters immediately huddled together, holding their breath, staring intently at the official announcement popping up on their optical computer.
The bright red, bolded title looked like a scorching letter of challenge.
[Prefecture-level Martial Examination · Domain Point Competition]
[Location: Brand new exploration-type Domain "Gloomy Forest" (Level adaptation: 15-25)]
"Brand new exploration-type?" Celeste read aloud, her brows instantly knitting together.
"This means there are no ready-made maps, no walkthroughs; we are the first batch of guinea pigs."
[Rule 1: Candidates can participate individually or in teams (up to four people). Team members will be teleported to random locations in the Domain together.]
[Rule 2: Ways to obtain points include, but are not limited to: killing Domain creatures, collecting rare resources, and completing random tasks.]
These were still somewhat standard.
But the next one made the air change its taste.
[Rule 3: Competition between candidates is allowed and encouraged. Defeating other candidates allows you to seize 20% of their team's current total points.]
A short, sharp gasp escaped Selene's throat.
"Stealing points! Isn't this just the officials encouraging us to kill each other!"
Celeste's pupils contracted slightly.
As expected.
The martial examination was never a gentle outing, but a cruel jungle disguised as an assessment.
[Rule 4... The competition will be broadcast to a limited extent in specific areas...]
When Celeste saw the words "live broadcast," her eyelids couldn't stop twitching.
Her social death PTSD flared up on the spot.
[...lasting 72 hours.]
[Special Note: The Domain environment is complex, and there is persistent mental pressure. Survival is also part of the assessment, so please ensure you are fully prepared with supplies.]
"Three days! A full seventy-two hours! And we have to bring all our own supplies!"
Selene let out a desperate wail, her little face collapsing, filled with despair.
She began counting on her fingers, muttering to herself.
"Drinking water, high-energy compressed food, first-aid kits, tents and sleeping bags, insect repellent, spare power supplies..."
Her face turned paler with every item she named.
"Oh my god, Sister, my knight armor and shield already take up more than half of the storage space; our storage space is simply not enough for both of us!"
"Why did the rules for our year's Domain Point Competition have to change so much?"
Celeste also felt it was tricky.
The cost of the supplies themselves wasn't much, but the weight and storage space were insurmountable fatal flaws.
As a cloth-armor priest, she couldn't fit much else in her storage space besides her staff and necessary potions.
The system space could only hold items produced by the system.
Selene's little face looked even more dejected: "Other teams have three or four people, so they can share the equipment and supplies. Since there are only two of us, we're already behind from the starting line!"
"They have more people, but they also consume more, and they face issues of trust and distribution."
Celeste analyzed calmly, her voice steady, soothing her sister's emotions.
"We only have two people, but we have absolute trust in each other, and that is more important than anything. You should be glad that neither of us is a class like an archer or ranger that needs to carry a large amount of arrows."
Selene paused, thinking of those so-called "elites" who formed temporary teams and were wary of each other; it was indeed true.
At this point, reliable and powerful damage-dealing students already had fixed teams.
Rather than finding an unreliable outsider and increasing the risk of internal friction, it was better for The two sisters to give it their all.
"I understand!" Selene cheered up again, waving her little fist, though the worry between her brows remained heavy.
"Our advantage is our super-strong survival ability and tacit understanding! The downside is... our damage is too'scraping'. Relying solely on the two of us to kill monsters and earn points definitely won't compare to those high-damage teams."
"Exactly."
Celeste took a deep breath, pulled her sister to sit on the sofa, her expression more serious than her sister had ever seen.
"So, we need a decisive trump card."
"Selene, I must explain my 'Heroic Spirit Summoning' clearly to you."
Selene's dim eyes instantly brightened again, like ignited stars.
"Sister, do you mean that ability can be used stably now? Is it... is it the one you practiced last night?"
She remembered the shameful yet seemingly powerful lines she overheard last night, and her little face couldn't help but turn red.
"Yes, but the cost is immense."
Celeste struggled to organize her language, trying to skip the most shameful core details and only distill the tactical information.
"This ability... it rapidly consumes my physical strength and mental energy. With my current physical fitness, I can only sustain it for 12 minutes at most."
"Moreover, once I reach the 12-minute limit, I will immediately fall into a state of exhaustion and need a long rest to recover my combat power."
Selene suddenly realized, her little face filled with heartache: "So that's it! No wonder you never used it before, Sister. This is practically Burning your life!"
She instantly imagined the tragic scene of her sister enduring immense pain alone to gain powerful strength.
Looking at her sister's gaze, which was full of 100% trust and heartache, Celeste felt a warmth in her heart, and the unspeakable embarrassment dissipated a little.
"Therefore, our tactics must be formulated around these 12 minutes. It is our only chance to turn the tables."
"I get it!" Selene stood up abruptly, excitement flashing in her eyes.
"We must use these 12 minutes on the cutting edge! In the early stages, we'll play it safe and develop, acting like campers! When the final moment comes, we'll use it to snatch the ownership of the Final BOSS, or launch a beautiful counter-kill when we're surrounded by other teams!"
"That's exactly what I mean." Celeste also stood up, the fog in her heart swept away by her sister's fighting spirit.
"Now, let's split up!"
She pulled up a list from her optical computer and quickly divided the areas.
"You take this list to the 'Vanguard Camp' in the east of the city, and I'll go to 'Wilderness Survival' in the west of the city. We'll buy survival supplies separately for maximum efficiency! Tomorrow, we'll do special training all day and practice our coordination!"
"Okay! Mission guaranteed!"
Selene rushed out the door like a small cannonball, the overflowing energy almost spilling out of her.
Watching her sister's dashing retreating figure, Celeste sighed softly.
Although she still couldn't bring herself to say how shameful her transformation was, at least the key information was synchronized.
She wouldn't start dancing and transforming on the battlefield and scare her own sister into defecting on the spot.
Besides, she had already overheard part of it... surely, she should be somewhat mentally prepared, right?
"Let's go."
She said to herself, grabbed her coat, and walked out quickly.