"HP -2300! You have dealt slash damage to 'Starry Blue Iris'. This damage has triggered the bleeding effect x10, activating true damage and depleting 100% of the target's health!"
It was a strike without any surprises!
"Sorry, Miss Tang, but for the sake of my teammates, I must give it my all," Colorado said solemnly as he watched the silhouette of the Starry Blue Iris before him gradually turn into light and dust.
Then, he strode to the center of the arena, puffing out his chest, waiting for the host to announce the final result of the match.
The entire audience was dead silent.
As expected, was this a victory with no suspense for me? Colorado thought.
Ten seconds passed. Noticing everyone staring at him blankly and the host looking equally bewildered, Colorado finally realized something was wrong as snippets of conversation reached his ears.
"What is he doing?"
"I don't know. Why is he striking that pose?"
"Who was he even hitting just now? Why did he waste his ultimate on thin air?"
Thin air? Ultimate? Who was he hitting?
What were these people saying? Hadn't he already ended this match?
Those attacks had certainly landed on Miss Tang's body. He had seen her health bar empty with his own eyes.
Suddenly, a cold sensation at his neck shattered all illusions. The arena scene vanished, and the falling sequins crumbled. The young girl's clear and elegant face appeared in his vision. Looking down, a lock of slightly curled blue hair rested on the edge of the string sword. Along with the cold sound ringing in his ears, a faint red bloodline appeared on his neck.
"What... what is going on?" Colorado gulped and raised his hands in a sensible gesture.
Colorado was still in a daze. As the saying goes, the spectator sees more clearly than the player. He couldn't understand how, after clearly killing the Little Blue Bird, her blade was at his throat in the blink of an eye.
"Looks like I win," Tang Xin said with a light chuckle.
"Mirror Flower, Water Moon!?"
Even without an analyst, Clotho-Lan, the president of the Heterogeneous Front, could see what had happened. Colorado had fallen for Tang Xin's Mirror Flower, Water Moon.
This was a common fantasy-type skill, its success rate determined by the user's charm attribute. Those with lower mental resistance were extremely prone to falling for it and descending into hallucinations. It was common on the stage for a core player to be hit by an enemy's Mirror Flower, Water Moon, leading to a complete reversal of the game.
But the problem was...
That was a magic-user's skill.
Although the Starry Singer's fame was household, her personal charm attribute wasn't actually that high. How did she pass the charm check to make Mirror Flower, Water Moon work on Colorado?
"It's a derivative effect of 'Life Elegy' after grade 4," Xu Xiaoyou said languidly, having witnessed the entire process.
"Before grade 4, the effect of Life Elegy was roughly a simple buff to constitution and health regeneration speed, transferring 15% of all damage taken by allies to the user."
"It was originally a selfless, aura-type buff. But after grade 4, its nature changed. It's no longer just a one-way output; it has turned into a two-way harvest."
"Life Elegy gained a new rule: during its duration, the user can specify a buffed target to share their attributes and skills."
"Just now, she shared Youyou's 'Mirror Flower, Water Moon' and shared my 'charm' attribute."
Bai Youyou shook her head.
Her charm attribute wasn't high, so Mirror Flower, Water Moon was useless to her. Xu Xiaoyou didn't have this specific fantasy-type skill either. Who would have thought it would have such a miraculous effect in Tang Xin's hands?
"I lost, Miss Tang," Colorado said, his expression somewhat dejected.
He had truly lost to a buffer. The psychological blow was much greater than the defeat in the match.
"No, in accordance with someone's request, you win." Tang Xin lowered her string sword and looked toward a certain spot.
The blue-haired girl's voice, intentionally emphasizing the word "someone," echoed above the arena, leaving the audience in confusion.
"I surrender."
As soon as she spoke, the entire venue fell silent.
Who else could that "someone" in the Little Blue Bird's mouth be but the Dark Gold Rose?
Rumors were already circulating online about the "unclear and impure" relationship between the members of Light-Chaser Garden and the Dark Gold Rose. Just thinking about their favorite idol being exploited day and night under the Dark Gold Rose's claws was enough. Hearing these words now made them grit their teeth in fury.
"That damnable Dark Gold Rose! How can she be so mean to the Little Blue Bird!?"
"Exactly! Too cruel! Even though she won, she was forced to surrender. Enough, my heart aches for her. If you don't love her, don't hurt her!"
"On behalf of the Little Blue Bird Protection Association, I strongly protest! We demand an eight-hour workday!"
"Lord Dark Gold Rose, I beg of you, let the Little Blue Bird go! The Little Blue Bird belongs to everyone...!"
"You cowardly bastards, get out of here!"
"Protest against the Dark Gold Rose! Protest against the Dark Gold Rose!"
Xu Xiaoyou suddenly felt countless murderous gazes coming her way, causing her lips to twitch.
"I knew she was going to do this."
"It really fits her style of doing things," Angelina said, her face full of amusement.
"You should know she's the type who responds to kindness but not to force," Bai Youyou glanced at Xu Xiaoyou. "If you had just asked her nicely before the match, Tang Xin would have likely agreed. It wouldn't have turned into this mess."
"Plans can't keep up with changes," Xu Xiaoyou said mournfully. "I'm starting to miss the old Little Blue Bird. She wasn't like this back then..."
If Akabane was there, she would have definitely rolled her eyes and exposed this Pomelo Pest.
What "plans can't keep up with changes"? This girl simply couldn't bring herself to swallow her pride.
"But this is also good. A buffer defeating the most troublesome support in the Oasis is quite a head-start. It'll be on tomorrow's hot news. And while we're at it, we can hold two more concerts using this heat..."
"Has anyone ever told you that your personality is almost beyond saving?" Angelina massaged her temples.
"Oh, really?" Xu Xiaoyou raised an eyebrow. "I'll just take that as a compliment."
"Is it my turn next?" Bai Youyou asked.
Listening to the escalating denunciations against her outside, Xu Xiaoyou shrugged and sighed helplessly. She adjusted the floral collar of her dress in the mirror, her beautiful golden eyes lowering slightly as the corners of her mouth curved upward into a smirk.
"No, I'll go this time."
"I love the way they look when they're desperate to beat me up but can't, fuming with rage."
As the host announced the names of the participants for the next match, the arena of tens of thousands fell quiet. A figure slowly walked to the center. She was dressed so perfectly and confidently, looking like a smug little devil. Her golden hair fluttered, and shimmering sequins scattered in the air, frozen in that moment.
"Ladies and gentlemen, good evening."
Xu Xiaoyou opened her arms, her voice rising.
"I'm sure you all know me, so there's no need for an introduction. Regarding the 'someone' Miss Tang mentioned earlier, there are rumors that it's related to me."
"I'm here to clarify: those aren't rumors. I was the one who ordered her to do it."
The faces of the Light-Chaser Garden members twitched, and as expected, a violent commotion erupted from below the stage.
"I know I'm popular—beautiful, powerful, adored by all, a sight to behold. Wherever I go, I'm the brightest star under the spotlight, forever kissed on the eyelashes by Lady Luck. There's really no need for such a welcome."
Feeling the crowd's impassioned "enthusiasm," Xu Xiaoyou smiled.
"I really can't help you all."
"In that case."
"Let the cheering be even louder!"
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