Chapter 66: Unleashing Full Firepower

"Let me be the first to go. I have exposed the most skills so far, so it is most appropriate for me to start."

A flash of fanatical fighting spirit appeared in the eyes of A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero as he looked at the three people beside him and spoke.

"Well, since that is the case, you go first. Indeed, you have exposed the most skills. Having you go first will also allow us to gauge 'Three Years Difference's current capabilities," Ye Yu said with a slightly solemn expression. He then raised his head slightly to look around. The entire sacred platform was wreathed in faint golden currents of light. Beyond these golden currents, faint elevated platforms were suspended, where dense crowds of players sat in their seats, radiating eager anticipation as they watched the championship match. It was clearly visible that quite a few players did not even have seats and were standing directly along the edges to watch.

"The viewership for this is truly beyond imagination. I heard there is even a live broadcast relay," Old Hu said, rubbing his head with a headache as he surveyed the surrounding scene.

"There's a live broadcast relay too? It seems the streaming platforms have been bought off by the RG Club to broadcast this championship match."

Huang Hong frowned slightly. Looking at 'Three Years Difference' in the distance, the fingers of both his hands slowly clenched into fists, the veins on the back of his hands bulging and writhing like dragons.

"Undoubtedly, this is the RG Club's first public training squad, and it is clearly designed for targeted enhancement. If 'Three Years Difference' manages to win this entirely by himself, his fame will undoubtedly soar to heights many times greater than a team victory."

Ye Yu also nodded, showing no surprise at such a development.

"Naturally, the RG Club has its own fans, so I suppose a good portion of the audience in the stands are RG Club supporters?"

A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero gave a cold snort before continuing, "However, there are also players from other clubs in the crowd. Judging by their in-game IDs, it's obvious they are club representatives. It seems they came to observe just to check the quality of the RG Club's youth training regimen on the novice server."

"Not only that. They are hoping to deduce the strategic routes of the RG Club's coaching program from this battle, so they can gather more intelligence on the club's training methods. Their goal is to be prepared; if they happen to cross paths with the RG Club's youth squad in the future, this intelligence will play a crucial role."

Ye Yu shook his head slightly and said in a deep voice.

On this matter, Ye Yu had already done his homework. The capabilities of the RG Club were a household name domestically. Although their reputation was somewhat tarnished, their fame remained among the top tier. Even with a slightly negative reputation, they still attracted powerful financial conglomerates and sponsors to join them, simply because their strength spoke for itself. Esports was cruel, and that cruelty was undeniably embodied by the RG Club.

"I wonder if Shang Zhou personally participated in training this youth squad. With that old fellow's coaching experience, raising 'Three Years Difference's level to this extent is not entirely impossible. Therefore, in the upcoming battle, you must act carefully and pick your spots. After all, the methods you have revealed have already been targeted by them," Old Hu warned, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes. He was undoubtedly concerned that if A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero lost, it might lead to despair and a complete loss of morale.

"It won't happen. Trust me."

"Today's championship match is, for us people of the [Xuantian Server], a world-class battle," Ye Yu said with a solemn expression and a deep frown. "In any case, it is indeed wise to be cautious. Even with the existence of a fair and just system like the Scales, we still cannot underestimate 'Three Years Difference', who wields a sacred-grade weapon. As for his customized talent skill tree, we know nothing about 'Three Years Difference', so it is entirely possible that the RG Club has made targeted improvements in that regard."

The arena's fair and just Balance Scales system could mitigate disparities between characters, using normal scaling adjustments to bring the comprehensive averages of both sides within the closest two percent range. Yet, even a two-percent gap could become the decisive factor in a duel between top-tier experts, let alone when 'Three Years Difference' was wielding a heaven-defying sacred-grade weapon. Thus, the superficial advantage still rested with 'Three Years Difference'.

"I was able to fight him to a standstill and even gain the upper hand back then. This time, I will not simply go down like this. I will give it my all."

After stepping forward onto the sacred platform, A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero turned his head to look at Ye Yu and the other two, giving them a thumbs-up while a radiant, brilliant smile curved the corners of his mouth.

At the other end of the sacred platform, 'Three Years Difference' twisted his neck and slowly stepped onto the stage. The long spear in his hand bloomed with a dazzling brilliance, and his halberd-armor exuded an arresting luster, extremely eye-catching. After being altered through morphological illusions, the entire suit of armor appeared immensely imposing, resembling a God of War descended upon the battlefield, with his chiseled abdominal muscles exposed, exuding a wild, untamed aura.

Having a long spear in hand undoubtedly gave 'Three Years Difference' a certain advantage. This advantage naturally stemmed from the sacred-grade weapon he wielded. Having this holy weapon in hand was tantamount to adding wings to a tiger for 'Three Years Difference'.

At this moment, Ye Yu opened the opponent's team information to check. 'Three Years Difference's win rate in the Undefeated Silver ladder tier was a hundred percent. If he won this championship match, he would ascend to the Glory Gold ladder tier. However, given his capabilities, finding an opponent capable of matching him within the Glory Gold tier would likely be difficult.

Ye Lingxue's warning had naturally been useful. Before today's championship match, Ye Yu had also received assistance through information from [Crown]. In-game, 'Nanzhi Ji Jing Qiu' had provided some training methodologies regarding how the RG Club trained its players, so to a certain extent, Ye Yu had already gained a preliminary grasp of information concerning the RG Club.

"Be careful. Don't take too many risks brawling head-on with 'Three Years Difference'. He is no longer the 'Three Years Difference' you fought back then; he will completely exceed your imagination. Try your best to force out more of his skills," Ye Yu said in a low voice, close enough for A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero to hear him clearly.

"That's right. Your self-preservation skills are exceptionally strong. Engaging in a war of attrition with him will ensure you don't let him create distance, and it will also give you an opportunity to seize the advantage. Remember, prioritizing self-preservation is the key," Old Hu also urged. Evidently, during this period, Old Hu had gained a rough understanding of A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero's personality, and this advice was certainly something A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero would take to heart.

The playful, carefree, and slightly absent-minded expression on A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero's face was completely gone. The gentle smile curving his lips gradually turned serious, and the fighting spirit in his eyes steadily leaked out, a fanatical and burning intent fixed directly on 'Three Years Difference' opposite him.

"You should activate your Shadow Domain first. I don't want people saying I'm taking advantage of someone's precarious state. The grievances we accumulated back then can be properly settled right here. Naturally, this has to be a fair fight."

'Three Years Difference's expression appeared calm, but the manic intent in his tone was unmistakable. At this moment, he did not assume any combat stance; today, he was naturally no longer what he used to be.

"Have you become incomparably arrogant just because you joined the RG Club's youth squad? Such unbridled wildness doesn't quite suit who you used to be. Since you've asked for it, I won't hold back."

Upon hearing this, A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero's face turned icy cold. The moment his words fell, he spread his arms wide, and black flames surged violently from within his body. The ground beneath them began to be dyed in pitch black, and a full third of the dazzling sacred platform's area plunged into an abyss-like darkness, forming a zone resembling deathly silence.

And this expansion clearly did not stop there. Black flames ignited within A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero's eyes, and rings of black fire began to emerge around the soles of his feet. The entire domain transformed into a territory of black flames, and the area it occupied on the sacred platform slowly expanded. Directly overhead, a sea of black fire condensed, rolling with terrifying, annihilating undulations and a destructive aura that the players in the spectator stands could clearly perceive.

A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero, known on the novice server as the 'Witch King', was certainly no ordinary figure.

"This fellow is deploying skills he hasn't shown before right from the start."

Upon seeing this, the solemn expression on Old Hu's face broke into a wry smile.

"All guns blazing right from the start? He's completely changing his usual style."

Ye Yu also nodded. Undoubtedly, A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero was going all out, making such a startling move right at the very beginning.

"Seeing him like this gets my blood pumping and my fighting spirit soaring."

Huang Hong watched A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero on the sacred platform, the five fingers of his left hand slowly clenching into a fist. The fighting spirit in his eyes burned fiercely as he shouted inwardly, "Hang in there, you bastard!"

In this battle, A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero naturally would not use the [Witch Ghost] form to fight 'Three Years Difference'. Black flames wreathed his entire body, and the dark fire beneath his feet continuously attached itself to him, gradually forming a distinct vortex of black flames upon his person.

Boom—

The arms that A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero had spread wide trembled violently, and a shockwave condensed from black flames burst outward in all directions, sweeping across the area with a vicious impact force.

Seeing this, 'Three Years Difference' curved the corners of his mouth into a faint, shallow smile, one that seemed imbued with a hint of mockery, and with a single leap, he easily evaded the shockwave.

At this moment, the black flames gradually dissipated; the surrounding dark fire had already been completely absorbed by A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero. Faint flame patterns now surfaced on his body, radiating a black halo, while his health bar rapidly plummeted by thirty percent before finally coming to a halt.

"What is the meaning of this? He's slashed his own HP by thirty percent before the fight has even started? Did he scare himself shitless upon realizing his opponent is a member of the RG Club's youth squad?"

"Could it be that before the fight even begins, his HP will drop to zero and force them to swap players?"

"Hhahahaha, if this keeps up, once 'Three Years Difference' closes in and initiates an attack, he probably won't even survive a few skills before losing."

"And they call him the Witch King? Isn't this a bit too ridiculous? Is this the level of the universally acknowledged Witch King of the novice server? If so, wouldn't other witchcraft branches be weak to the absolute extreme? If it's like this, he might as well just surrender to save himself the humiliation!"

"..."

"Heh, let me see just how strong you really are," A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero said with a cold laugh, the killing intent in his tone entirely unambiguous. The black flames around his body gradually morphed into armor, acquiring a certain metallic sheen interwoven with emerging dark fire, while his cloak looked as though it had been condensed from a sheet of black flame.

A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero raised both hands high, and black flames suddenly manifested above him. The sea of black fire overhead instantly enshrouded him, and from within it, several figures wreathed in black flame abruptly shot outward, their hideously distorted faces resembling those of oxen ghosts and serpent spirits.

In the blink of an eye, dozens of such black-flaming figures stood upon the sacred platform. The platform, which had originally appeared supremely radiant, was transformed in an instant into something resembling a purgatorial guillotine, looking precisely like a soul-sending platform straight out of hell.

Standing in the very center of the flames, A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero resembled a sovereign standing at the vanguard of all the black-flaming figures. The smile curling the corners of his mouth carried an icy chill as he said, "You let me absorb the aura of these black flames—don't regret it later, 'Three Years Difference'."

"It's somewhat similar to the Witch Ghost Legion he summons in his [Witch Ghost] form, but this version appears far more berserk. It seems to be a skill akin to his base form; after this kind of strengthening and amplification, it's quite terrifying."

Watching the eye-popping scene on the sacred platform, Ye Yu could not help but say with a trace of astonishment.

"Indeed, it's formidable. Means like this would feel troublesome even to me," Old Hu said, a faint smile surfacing on the corner of his mouth.

"Old Hu, if it were you, how would you plan to deal with it?"

Huang Hong asked, clearly feeling that judging by A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero's current posture, he had already seized the upper hand.

"It wouldn't be easy to fight," Old Hu said, shaking his head. "I could only try my best from the start to minimize the absorption and amplification. This ability of his is different from the previous ones; even if his summons die, they still provide absorption buffs. Breaking it apart right now prevents those buffs from being absorbed, and his skills consume a massive amount of this amplification energy, which is why he has to continuously condense these black flames at the start. Otherwise, the drain on him would be astonishing."

"However, if the interruption fails and you are forced to fight A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero in this state, it is by no means an easy task. Even if I fought at full strength, I wouldn't necessarily have a guaranteed victory. After all, an offensive witchcraft player who knows what they're doing becomes extremely difficult to target and counter, especially since his skill set is inherently suited for arena combat. He holds a total innate advantage."

Old Hu's evaluation was objective, and a trace of a headache flashed through his eyes. Evidently, he had not expected A Cup of Wine to Trouble the Hero's mastery of offensive witchcraft to reach such a stage.

This battle was going to be very interesting!