High above the battlefield, on the airship.
Dorothy had finally eaten her fill. She clutched a large cup of iced “Happy Water,” sucking loudly on a straw as she watched the broadcast.
The first circle had not yet begun to shrink, so the competition hadn’t reached its peak intensity. Most teams were still focused on scavenging supplies and items. While a few skirmishes had broken out, no one had been eliminated just yet.
“Why did Master turn into a black-furred monster?” Dorothy asked, her voice tinged with worry.
“It’s a curse. It’ll hinder her movements to some degree,” Matcha explained.
“Is there a way to get rid of it?”
“I heard from the other classes that ‘Hot Springs’ can cleanse curses.”
“A hot spring? But everyone is watching!”
Matcha shrugged. “They’re all girls, what’s there to be afraid of? Besides, the hot springs are covered in map fog. The cameras can’t see through it.”
“Hmm…”
Dorothy’s gaze followed Wang Yue and Medeili as they left the stone pillar. They retreated into the shadows to inspect their loot.
Wang Yue weighed a strange fruit in her hand before suddenly taking a bite. It was rock hard. Her teeth couldn’t even make a dent. “Maybe it’s an offering. Do you remember that statue?”
“Should we head back?” Medeili asked.
“No rush. Let’s look around some more.”
The two moved quickly, scavenging over a dozen small Shrines and clearing three Stone Gates in rapid succession. They amassed a significant haul of supplies and offerings.
By comparison, the offerings from the Shrines were of lower quality than those from the Stone Gates. The buffs granted by the Demon Statue varied depending on the tier of the offering.
Shrine offerings only provided minor boosts, but they offered a comprehensive improvement—speed, strength, endurance, mana output, mana regeneration, and an extra shield layer. Both girls had managed to stack their shields to the eighth layer.
As for the four Stone Gate offerings: one boosted Wang Yue’s speed by twenty percent, while another granted Medeili the ability to hold her breath for extended periods.
The remaining two were items. One was a medium shield restoration pack capable of instantly restoring three shield layers. The other was a processed relic: the “Mortar Lance.”
The Mortar Lance was a curved, white bone plate etched with runes and finished with a polished glaze. It was ergonomically designed to fit snugly against the forearm. It could fire needle-shaped energy projectiles from a vent at the front, each strike carrying the power of a mid-tier offensive witchcraft.
Though the projectiles were small, they were high-speed and difficult to detect. If timed correctly, it could be a devastating tool. However, it required a thirty-second cooldown to recharge between shots.
Wang Yue handed the Mortar Lance to Medeili to balance their combat strength.
The two continued their search, determined to gather as many supplies as possible before the circle closed. As the play area shrank, collisions between teams would become inevitable, and that was when their stockpile would truly matter.
Eventually, they reached a rocky hollow where they found a sunken, dried-up hot spring pool.
Wang Yue walked to the edge, crouching down to inspect it. At the bottom, she found a plug attached to a heavy iron chain. She pulled the chain, and a torrent of hot water immediately gushed out.
Thick mist billowed up, obscuring everything beyond a few inches. The damp, sharp scent of sulfur filled the air.
Wang Yue waded back to the edge. Looking back, she saw the water level had stabilized at the brim, and the flow had stopped. It was clearly an artificial spring. She dipped her hand in to test the temperature; it was perfect.
To her delight, the black fur on her hand began to fall away, revealing her tender, fair skin. The hot spring really did have the power to cleanse curses.
While Medeili stood guard on the bank, Wang Yue stripped and entered the water. She washed away the cursed fur, feeling refreshed and light. Before long, the mist began to dissipate, and the water drained into the ground. The hot spring was a one-time use.
Taking advantage of the momentary peace, they decided to rest by the pool. They opened a lacquer bento box they had recovered from a Shrine. It was a high-end “Golden Chrysanthemum” lacquer box, and the food inside was surprisingly delicious.
“Thank god you’re here, otherwise I wouldn’t have known what to do,” Wang Yue sighed contentedly. Soaking in a hot spring and eating a cold meal was pure bliss.
Medeili didn’t respond, remaining quiet and mysterious as usual. However, she stole a glance at Wang Yue. Seeing her cheeks puffed out as she stuffed a piece of chikuwa into her mouth, Medeili allowed a small smile to play on her lips.
Wang Yue swallowed the food and remarked, “The school chefs are actually pretty good at making these small dishes.”
Medeili hummed in agreement, closing her eyes to savor the fleeting moment of tranquility.
Once their bellies were full, they took out their jars of Witch’s Ointment to touch up their Stigmata. Due to the intense physical exertion, they had to redraw the marks periodically. Without a clear Stigmata, they wouldn’t be able to replenish their mana.
For Wang Yue, it wasn’t a dire issue; her Demon Horns acted as a superior substitute for the Stigmata, which served as her secondary mana source. But for Medeili, the Stigmata was the only way to recover energy.
Suddenly, several figures appeared on the high ridges surrounding the hollow!
The Yellow Team!
Wang Yue blinked, her expression turning to one of disbelief. There were five people in the Yellow Team! The fifth member was none other than the “traitor,” Lulu’anna!
Before they could react, five wands were raised simultaneously. The first spells to light up were a pair of instantly cast, elegantly curving Runes.
Shooting Star!
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Sharp, triangular pseudo-crystals rained down from both sides in a deadly crossfire!
Wang Yue and Medeili spun away, instantly deploying shields to block the assault.
The sound of shattering porcelain echoed in the hollow!
Crap! The Witch’s Ointment!
Wang Yue’s heart sank. This was a disaster.
Their decision to evade wasn’t wrong—they couldn’t stand their ground against the focused fire of five people. If they were pinned down by witchcraft, their speed would plummet, turning them into sitting ducks.
Once they retreated to a safe distance, the enemy didn’t pursue.
Wang Yue stared at the figures atop the ridge, still unable to believe what she was seeing. “Hey… is she serious? How did she defect to Class 3’s team?”
“Yue…”
Medeili grabbed Wang Yue’s sleeve. For the first time, a trace of panic flickered in her eyes. She whispered hoarsely, “The ointment… it’s gone.”
Down by the pool, Lulu’anna leaped from the ridge. She inspected the shattered remains of the ointment jars, using her boot to grind the spilled paste into the dirt, rendering it useless.
Leona’s clear, melodic voice drifted down from behind her.
“Until just a moment ago, I suspected you were setting us up. I didn’t expect you to actually strike at your own teammates.”
“Teammates?” Lulu’anna smiled radiantly, reaching up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Her silhouette was graceful and composed. “This wasn’t exactly a voluntary pairing. Who could stand being lumped together with people they hate?”
“To be honest, I admire you,” Leona continued. “We tracked them the whole way. There were several times I almost attacked, but you stopped me. That terrifying patience of yours bought us the perfect opportunity. One ambush to shatter their ointment… Without it, they can’t recover mana. They’re like predators who have lost their claws, or birds without wings. Their elimination is only a matter of time. You’ve neutralized our greatest threat without spilling a drop of blood. A masterstroke, truly.”
“Precisely,” Lulu’anna replied. “With Wang Yue and Medeili out of the picture, we are the strongest team left. Two captain-tier combatants and three regulars—as long as we don’t do anything stupid, victory is guaranteed.”
“I’m starting to believe you really do want to transfer classes. On behalf of Class 3, I welcome you in advance.”
Leona extended her hand.
The two women shook hands, exchanging a knowing smile.
