Lin Yuan took a deep breath, looked at his teammates on the battlefield, and decided fast. "Shen Haotian, Gu Changfeng, let's split up and distract them! Chu Yao, look for an opening!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Lin Yuan flashed forward and charged at the black-robed figure on the left. His fists whistled through the air. After a feint, he immediately retreated. Just as the black-robed person was about to counterattack, Shen Haotian lunged from the side, his blade slicing towards the opponent's waist. The black-robed person blocked with his arm, leaning back slightly, only to be kicked in the back by Gu Changfeng and stumble.
"Perfect chance!" Seizing the moment, Chu Yao clapped her hands together. An energy shockwave burst out, knocking the black-robed person off balance briefly. Shen Haotian and Gu Changfeng exchanged a glance and attacked simultaneously. Shen Haotian hacked away with his greatsword, sending a series of slashes flying. As he did, Gu Changfeng teleported behind the black-robed foe and delivered a powerful elbow strike to the back of their neck.
[Ghost, health points reduced to zero!]
Before anyone could catch their breath, Lin Yuan had already turned to the remaining two enemies. "Next one!"
The battle resumed. Lin Yuan charged at one black-robed figure, faking a frontal attack. Then, he suddenly slid and changed angles, attacking from the side. Caught off guard, the black-robed person was sent stumbling back by Lin Yuan's "Heaven-Shattering Fist." Gu Changfeng and Chu Yao pressed the attack, sandwiching the enemy from both sides. Their teamwork was so seamless that even the third black-robed person couldn't come to the rescue. In the end, they cornered the two black-robed figures. Lin Yuan jumped into the air right away and kicked them hard in the chest twice, emptying their health bars.
All three black-robed people were defeated!
[Battlefield restrictions lifted. Free movement enabled.]
When the light barrier gradually vanished, Lin Yuan and the others could plainly see the distant battles that were still going on. "Now we can rush to help!" Shen Haotian swiped at the sweat on his brow, his gaze intense.
...
Hua Ruobing had already been ejected from the gaming pod. She was now in the real-world assessment hall, reporting to the academy leaders and officials sent by the authorities.
"...So, this is the fifth time," Hua Ruobing said calmly, briefly summarizing the situation of the black-robed people. "If they win once, they can invade our world. But if we win, we can survive for the number of years indicated by the dice roll."
The assessors looked grave. One of them murmured, "Could the disaster on the East Coast... be related to this?"
"Years ago, Liuan Online invaded the real world and made the East Coast lawless. What's happening now is just like that."
The atmosphere grew heavy as everyone realized the severity of the situation.
Meanwhile, in the virtual battlefield, the fight raged on...
Only four black-robed people remained, and there were just six examinees left: Lin Yuan, Gu Changfeng, and Xu Xingchen were still in the thick of the battle.
"This guy is too tough!" Xu Xingchen gritted his teeth, his spear flashing as he clashed fiercely with one of the black-robed figures. But the enemy's attacks were so fierce that he was forced back several times.
"Then let's take a gamble!" Taking a deep breath, Xu Xingchen suddenly thrust his spear backward and let it fly towards the black-robed person's chest. The black-robed person nimbly sidestepped the attack, but Xu Xingchen wasted no time. In a blink, he closed the distance and firmly gripped the opponent's shoulder, his eyes ablaze with determination.
He took a deep breath, and a memory from the previous year flashed through his mind...
"Xu Xingchen, remember, the 'Prairie Fire' skill isn't for sacrificing yourself. It's meant to snuff out the enemy's last hope at the most critical moment," his former captain had said, clapping him on the shoulder with a solemn yet expectant tone. "This skill requires incredible control. Once activated, there's no turning back. You either take the enemy down with you or... lose."
"Sometimes, losing a character isn't the end. It can start a spark of hope, depending on their last move."
"Spark of hope..." Xu Xingchen's eyes turned determined at once.
This was the moment!
The black-robed person's attacks grew more relentless, each strike carrying a terrifying sense of oppression. Xu Xingchen knew that if they continued like this, they'd be worn down. Someone had to break the deadlock!
With a smile on his lips, Xu Xingchen gripped the black-robed person's shoulder tightly with his left hand and channeled all his remaining inner energy with his right. Power surged through him like a wild river. "Prairie Fire, unleash!"
In an instant, a brilliant crimson glow erupted around Xu Xingchen, enveloping him and the black-robed person like a fire about to consume everything.
The black-robed person struggled wildly, but Xu Xingchen held on like a vice, leaving no chance for escape.
"This skill... You!!" the black-robed person roared, but it was too late.
"Win this, everyone!" Xu Xingchen took one last look at Lin Yuan and the others.
BOOM! An enormous explosion engulfed everything.
[Wraith, health points reduced to zero!]
[Xu Xingchen, health points reduced to zero!]
Just a faint shudder hung in the air. Both Xu Xingchen and the black-robed person had disappeared entirely.
======================
林远深吸一口气,扫视战场上的队友,迅速做出判断:"沈昊天,顾长风,我们分开吸引他们的视线!楚瑶,找机会!"
话音刚落,林远身形一闪,朝左侧的黑衣人冲去,拳风呼啸,虚晃一招后立刻后撤.黑衣人刚想反击,沈昊天从侧翼袭来,刀锋破空直取黑衣人的腰侧!黑衣人横臂挡下,身形微微后仰,紧接着就被顾长风的飞踢命中后背,踉跄两步.
"好机会!" 楚瑶抓住时机,双掌猛然一合,一道能量冲击波骤然扩散,将黑衣人震得短暂失衡!沈昊天和顾长风对视一眼,同时攻上,沈昊天切换大刀狂舞,连续斩击,顾长风则瞬步到黑衣人背后,一记肘击砸向颈部!
"[幽灵 血量清零!]"
系统提示音响起,众人来不及松口气,林远已经转向剩下的两个敌人:"下一个!"
战斗再次展开,林远冲向一名黑衣人,假装正面攻击,实则脚下一滑,瞬间变换角度,绕到侧翼猛攻!黑衣人猝不及防,被他一记 "天裂拳" 轰得倒退数步!顾长风和楚瑶乘胜追击,一前一后夹击,配合默契,就连第三名黑衣人想来支援也于事无补,最终成功将两名黑衣人逼入绝境!林远没有犹豫,顺势跃起,旋身两脚踢在黑衣人胸口,将他们血条彻底清零!
三名黑衣人,全灭!
[战场限制解除,可自由行动.]
一道光幕缓缓消散,林远一行人能够清晰地看到远处的战斗场景.
"可以去支援了!" 沈昊天擦了把汗,目光凌厉.
...
华若冰已经被弹出游戏仓,正在现实世界的考核大厅内,与学院领导以及官方派来的专人进行汇报.
"...所以,这已经是第五次了." 华若冰面色冷静,将黑衣人的情况简要复述,"他们赢一次,就能侵入我们的世界,而我们赢了就能依照骰子所表达的数字,安然度过该数字的年份."
考核官们的表情凝重,其中一人低声道:"东海岸的灾变...难道和这件事有关?"
"几年前,"六安Online"成功 '入侵' 现实,导致东海岸被异化成了无法之地.而我们现在经历的,正是相同的模式."
空气变得沉重,所有人都意识到了问题的严重性.
与此同时,虚拟战场中,战斗依旧在继续...
场上仅剩下最后四名黑衣人,而考核生只剩六人,林远,顾长风,许星辰仍在奋战.
"这家伙,太难缠了!" 许星辰咬紧牙关,手中长枪翻飞,疯狂与一名黑衣人交锋.但黑衣人的攻势凌厉无比,几次逼得他节节后退!
"那就赌一把!" 许星辰深吸一口气,忽然反手一刺,长枪脱手飞出,直取黑衣人胸口!黑衣人轻松躲过,可就在这一瞬间,许星辰已经贴身上前,一把抓住黑衣人的肩膀,露出一抹决然的笑意.
他深吸一口气,脑海中浮现出去年的某一天...
"许星辰,你记住, '星火燎原' 这个技能不是用来拼命的,而是用来在最关键的时刻,燃尽敌人最后的希望."
当时的队长拍着他的肩膀,语气凝重又带着几分期待:"这个技能需要极高的操控力,一旦启动,就没有后退的余地,要么拉着敌人一起毁灭,要么... 输."
"有时候,为了胜利,一个角色的退场并不是结束,而是燃起希望的火种,主要看他退场前做了什么."
"燃起希望的火种..." 许星辰的眼神瞬间坚定下来.
机会,就在这里!
黑衣人的攻势越发迅猛,每一击都带着恐怖的压迫感.许星辰深知,这样下去他们会被逐渐消耗殆尽,必须要有人做出突破口!
许星辰嘴角勾起一抹微笑,左手死死扣住黑衣人的肩膀,右手猛然调动剩余的内力,体内的能量疯狂涌动.
"'星火燎原',爆!"
一瞬间,许星辰周身燃起璀璨的火红色光芒,那光芒如同即将燃尽一切的火焰,将他和黑衣人包裹在内!
黑衣人疯狂挣扎,但许星辰仿佛铁钳一般死死扣住他的身体,完全不给他逃脱的机会.
"这技能... 你!!" 黑衣人怒吼着,但已经无济于事.
"赢下去,大家!" 许星辰最后看了一眼林远等人.
轰!!!
剧烈的爆炸吞噬了一切!
[魍魉 血量清零!]
[许星辰 血量清零!]
空气中只剩下一丝余波,许星辰和黑衣人的身影已经彻底消失.