1709

Chapter 1709: Initiative

Translator: Nomyummi  Editor: Nomyummi

Trade, another trade.

Before, it was a trade between healers. The fight had been fierce and shocking to watch. This time, the trade was more ordinary. However, what everyone saw was a trade that shouldn’t have happened when Samsara should have had the advantage.

Qiao Yifan’s One Inch Ash had barely 6% of his health left, while Du Ming’s Moon Luring Frost had over 50%. At that time, who would have thought a trade was even possible?

When Wu Qi used a high-level skill as his finishing move, everyone thought that Samsara would be up a player.

But a reversal happened during the next six seconds.

Cruel Silence was Taunted away. One Inch Ash placed down a Sword Boundary and then ran for his life. Cloud Piercer and One Autumn Leaf turned on One Inch Ash, while Lord Grim and Soft Mist turned on Moon Luring Frost.

Happy’s plan to trade players was laid bare, but how many people actually thought that Happy would succeed?

Yet Happy succeeded.

Wasn’t this somewhat similar to that healer trade? An Wenyi’s task had been to stop Zhou Zekai’s Cloud Piercer. Little Cold Hands’ health had plummeted like a faucet turned on. As for Samsara’s Fang Minghua and his Laughing Song? Happy put in an enormous amount of effort, successfully executing a highly difficult coordinated play, to evade Samsara’s rescue attempts and complete the trade. At that time, everyone thought that the chances of Laughing Song getting rescued and Little Cold Hands getting killed was much higher.

Little Cold Hands was the first to be killed, and Samsara had a good chance of rescuing Laughing Song.

But they were only off by a bit.

If that place wasn’t a support zone, if Happy’s Steamed Bun Invasion had been just a bit slower, if Steamed Bun’s crazy Sand Toss hadn’t happened…

If not for those, Laughing Song might not have been killed. However, it had all happened. Laughing Song died, and both sides lost their healer.

Last time, Samsara had been off by just a bit, and this time? The same story!

If Ye Xiu’s Provoke hadn’t been so timely, if Steamed Bun hadn’t turned on Moon Luring Frost so quickly, if there had an opening in Lord Grim’s and Soft Mist’s encirclement, if Qiao Yifan hadn’t stalled for that extra second…

It felt as if Samsara was taking large strides ahead, while Happy was making quick little steps from behind and teetering on the verge of collapse. However, in the end, they were able to follow close behind.

Samsara had the upper hand.

Four of them had been caught in a trap and blinded at the very start, but they were able to make it through that predicament. Samsara had two huge opportunities to take the lead.

Yet everyone felt like Happy was winning.

Because Samsara failed to grasp these two huge opportunities. Despite the challenges, Happy had caught up through quick little steps and successfully clawed their way back.

It was even again, a 4v4.

From the health on both sides, Happy was still a bit behind. They had narrowly escaped two crises. It wasn’t possible to not have paid a price. However, everyone still felt like Happy had the advantage.

Group arena.

Happy had won the group arena with a one point lead. The battle looked even, but in reality, Happy was leading. If they kept trading and trading until both sides perished, the winner would be Happy.

Was this Happy’s strategy? Was this Happy’s plan?

That was what many of the viewers thought because Happy had been extremely decisive with both trades. The sacrificed players were aware of their role, and the other players didn’t hesitate to abandon them.

Then, who would Happy go for next?

Cruel Silence?

Cruel Silence was the closest to the three on Happy that had killed Moon Luring Frost. He was the most convenient target.

Sure enough!

As soon as Moon Luring Frost fell, before his corpse even stopped moving, Happy immediately turned. The three moved to surround Cruel Silence. Attacks flew his way.

Cruel Silence was ripped into shreds.

Shadow Clone Technique!

The one to get attacked was Cruel Silence’s shadow clone. Wu Qi didn’t lack vigilance. As soon as he saw that Moon Luring Frost’s death was certain, he immediately realized who Happy’s next target would be. He had seen Happy’s offensive prowess for himself. Cruel Silence was a feeble Assassin. Wu Qi didn’t dare to fight them. He immediately used Shadow Clone Technique to escape.

How close…

Seeing the Shadow Clone Technique get destroyed in an instant, Wu Qi felt glad. If he had been slightly less careful, if he had tried to run away normally without Shadow Clone Technique, he wouldn’t have been able to escape unharmed.

“Behind”

A warning came from the team chat. Wu Qi saw it, and saw Soft Mist suddenly vanish. Traces of magic were left behind. Lord Grim was broken apart by Cloud Piercer’s bullets.

Teleport!

Shadow Clone Technique!

The two on Happy reacted extraordinarily fast. In the blink of an eye, they chased after Wu Qi.

Behind!

Wu Qi had received the warning. There was no time for him to look back. Cruel Silence immediately jumped forward and rolled! Who knew what was coming at him from behind. However, in front of him, there was Steamed Bun Invasion, holding a Brick in one hand and making a fist with the other. Who knew what he would do. Sure, he could see the Brick in his hand, and he was clearly about to throw it. But what if he suddenly cancelled the Brick and threw a handful of sand at him with the other hand?

Shattering the Lands!

Sun Xiang’s One Autumn Leaf finally arrived. He saw that Cruel Silence was surrounded, and no matter which side he attacked, he wouldn’t be able to completely lift the siege. In that case, he might as well just use a high-level skill. It didn’t matter who he hit. The important part was that Happy had to dodge the AoE from Shattering the Lands. The AoE effect was similar to how enemies would circle around a ghost boundary.

Wu Qi understood tacitly. He immediately adjusted Cruel Silence’s movements to draw close to Shattering the Land’s AoE.

Magic swept the ruins. Sure enough, the three on Happy had to dodge. If they wanted to surround Samsara again, then they wouldn’t only be facing Cruel Silence, but One Autumn Leaf as well.

A single high-level skill broke apart Happy’s encirclement. Samsara took this opportunity to begin their counterattack.

“Bun!” A message in Samsara’s chat.

Su Mucheng’s Dancing Rain was quite far away. Ye Xiu and Tang Rou were together. Although Steamed Bun’s Steamed Bun Invasion could quickly receive help from either side, he was clearly the easier target. As a result, he became Samsara’s breakthrough point. Jiang Botao confirmed it with everyone to avoid any miscommunication.

But as soon as he sent the message, he saw Steamed Bun Invasion charge towards his Empty Waves.

This guy’s acting reckless again!

Jiang Botao thought to himself. He had Empty Waves take a step forward, but then, he discovered that it wasn’t just Steamed Bun Invasion charging towards him, but Lord Grim and Soft Mist as well.

Happy had set their sights on his Empty Waves as the next target.

Jiang Botao didn’t panic. The situation on both sides was fairly even. Neither side had a clear advantage, so they were both looking for opportunities to take the initiative. He calmly paid attention to their attack routes, while also keeping wary of Dancing Rain’s distance from him. He retracted his step and jumped back, while swinging his sword.

Waltzing Wave Slash!

Wind Wave Slash!

Light Wave Slash!

Three consecutive wave slashes. Light and Wind were the fastest of the wave slashes. The two slashes intertwined together, and instantly caught up to the Waltzing Wave Slash. The two slashes gave off a shining light that covered the radiance from Waltzing Wave Slash. Amidst these two fast attacks was a venomous fang. Jiang Botao’s three wave slashes had been carefully set up. He also knew who this Waltzing Wave Slash would end up flying towards. He already had a follow-up in his mind. Suddenly, a shadow drew near. A triple wave slash play? Too slow!

Lord Grim.

Too decisive, too fast.

Jiang Botao’s careful calculations and precise timing were smashed with brute force, making it all seem superfluous.

He turned simple into complex, while Ye Xiu turned complex into simple. He had set up layers of calculations, while Ye Xiu used just a single word “fast” to pierce through them all.

This time, Jiang Botao panicked. He had thrown out three wave slashes, but he hadn’t expected the other side to act before he did. It suddenly felt like he had no tools left to use. The follow-up he had ready was still on cooldown!

Earthquake Slash!

Helpless, he could only retreat, while immediately using a low-level skill to try and stop Ye Xiu. But Lord Grim simply leaned to the side, moving even faster than his Earth Wave Slash. The Earth Wave Slash missed, and Lord Grim was getting even closer.

Sword Draw!

Jiang Botao wanted to act again, but Lord Grim instantly drew his sword. The sword light collided against Empty Waves’ Divine Chains, interrupting Jiang Botao’s next wave slash.

Collapsing Mountain!

Lord Grim leapt into the air. His Myriad Manifestations Umbrella was like an axe as it descended.

Too hasty!

Jiang Botao was delighted. Lord Grim’s offense was too excessive, giving him an opportunity to react. Empty Waves dodged to the side and raised his Divine Chains into the air again.

Wave Wheel Slasher!

This skill could even break Super Armor. Neutralizing a Collapsing Mountain wouldn’t be a problem. However, the instant the wave wheel formed, Lord Grim suddenly retracted his heroic Collapsing Mountain.

Falling Light Blade! Lord Grim suddenly turned in the air.

A trap!

Jiang Botao immediately realized. The Collapsing Mountain had been bait. Wave Wheel Slasher had extremely high priority, posing a huge wall to an opponent’s offense. Ye Xiu intentionally acted a bit hasty to bait Jiang Botao into using Wave Wheel Slasher. Then, he would avoid it and close in without worry.

Moreover, powerful skills like Wave Wheel Slasher had longer ending lag. For an attacker, this was a huge opening!