“Smokescreen,” the Molten Blast Lizard said, opening its mouth and spewing a thick, grayish-white mist. Denser and thicker than before, it instantly enveloped the entire floating island it stood on.
Within the mist, the Molten Blast Lizard's figure completely vanished, even its amber vertical pupils obscured.
Chiying hovered high above, its crimson eyes fixed on the swirling mist.
It couldn't see through the mist. Its True Dragon's Eye could pierce illusions and disguises, but Smokescreen wasn't an illusion; it was a tangible physical obstruction.
Liu Yi stood on her maglev skateboard, her gaze rapidly shifting between the mist and the surrounding floating islands.
Was Shui Heyu stalling for time?
The problem was that, given the current situation, while the Burn was draining Chiying's stamina, the damage it inflicted was fixed.
However, the highly venomous state afflicting the Molten Blast Lizard would cause increasing damage over time.
If he stalled, the Molten Blast Lizard would surely be the first to fall.
Why would he choose such a method?
The Molten Blast Lizard moved quickly within the mist, spewing another puff of Smokescreen every time it changed position, stirring the entire area into what looked like boiling thick soup.
Although Chiying's Dragon's Breath could tear through the mist, the Molten Blast Lizard moved too fast. Each time the breath swept past, it had already leaped to another floating island.
Liu Yi tapped her fingers lightly against her thigh.
“Chiying, gain altitude, go above the highest floating island.”
Chiying didn't hesitate. With a flick of its tail, its dark figure shot straight up, ascending in the blink of an eye to hover above the highest plum blossom-shaped island.
From this height, the layout of the entire District B Battle Zone 2 was visible.
Five floating islands were scattered across the area: the highest plum blossom-shaped island, two central islands slowly rotating in a double helix trajectory, the lowest leaf-shaped island, and a secondary island on the right swaying erratically.
Where was the Molten Blast Lizard?
Chiying's crimson eyes quickly swept over each floating island.
It wasn't on the plum blossom-shaped island, nor the central double helix islands, nor the secondary island on the right.
That left only the lowest leaf-shaped island.
But it wasn't there either.
Liu Yi's brow furrowed slightly.
The Molten Blast Lizard had vanished.
Not vanished as if merely obscured by mist, but truly gone from these five floating islands.
Shui Heyu stood on his maglev skateboard, his hands in his school uniform pockets, his expression still calm.
He watched Chiying circle and search in the air, a nearly imperceptible curve playing at the corner of his lips.
Of course, the Molten Blast Lizard wasn't on a floating island.
It was beneath the leaf-shaped island.
That island was the lowest in District B Battle Zone 2, less than five meters from the bottom of the energy shield below.
The underside of the floating island was uneven, providing enough space for the Molten Blast Lizard to cling and hide.
This was a secret Shui Heyu had discovered when he scouted the terrain beforehand.
There was a natural rock crevice at the bottom of that island, just wide enough to accommodate the Molten Blast Lizard's body.
He hadn't immediately ascended before the match began, but had stood on that island observing for a long time, confirming the viability of this hiding spot.
The Smokescreen rose from beneath the floating island, obscured by the island above, spreading more slowly and more covertly.
Chiying circled high above, its vision doubly obstructed by the mist and the island, unable to see where the Molten Blast Lizard was hiding.
Liu Yi stood on her maglev skateboard, her gaze sweeping over the mist emerging from beneath the lowest floating island.
She suddenly understood.
The Smokescreen wasn't rising from the surface of the island; it was coming from underneath it.
The Molten Blast Lizard wasn't on the island; it was beneath it.
“Chiying, Dragon's Breath, target beneath the lowest floating island.”
Chiying changed direction and swooped down.
Dark golden energy condensed and compressed in its throat, then transformed into a thick purplish-golden aura that blasted towards the underside of the lowest leaf-shaped island.
The aura struck the underside of the island, and purplish-golden light exploded in the rock crevice, sending shattered rocks flying.
The Molten Blast Lizard could no longer hide.
It shot out from beneath the island, its four limbs clinging to the edge before it flipped onto the surface.
A hint of annoyance flashed in its amber vertical pupils. The volcano at the base of its tail opened wider than before, and the molten lava flowing within had turned a dazzling white-gold.
Shui Heyu's expression remained calm, but his fingers, gripping the edge of his skateboard, tightened slightly.
The Molten Blast Lizard's hiding spot had been discovered.
But it didn't matter.
He glanced at the Molten Blast Lizard's status; the highly venomous state was still active.
However, the Burn on Chiying was also persistent. Moreover, he quickly scanned the sparks seeping from the gaps in Chiying's scales; the Burn had already stacked to two layers.
The first layer was from Blazing Gaze, and the second was triggered by Scorching Body when Chiying closed in earlier.
Two layers of Burn were continuously draining the Dragon's stamina and simultaneously weakening its attack power.
A slight smile played at the corner of Shui Heyu's lips.
He intended to stall for time, allowing the Molten Blast Lizard to stack Burns on the opposing Dragon.
The more Burns stacked, the faster the Dragon's stamina would deplete, and its attack power would decrease accordingly.
Once the Burns stacked to three or four layers, even with the Dragon Dance buff, the Dragon's attack power would be severely diminished.
By then, even if the Molten Blast Lizard lost this match, it would be worth it.
Because in the next match, his Blazing Feather Eagle would enter at full strength, facing an opponent whose stamina and attack power were severely weakened.
Even if that Dragon had a powerful ultimate skill like Rising Dragon Strike, with its attack power weakened, it wouldn't pose a threat to the Blazing Feather Eagle.
And once Chiying was dealt with, the remaining Silver Snow Fox, being an Ice-type against a Fire-type, would be at a type disadvantage and even less of a concern.
Shui Heyu's plan was clear.
The Molten Blast Lizard's mission wasn't to win, but to wear down the opponent.
The more it wore them down, the easier the Blazing Feather Eagle's victory would be.
The Molten Blast Lizard leaped onto the secondary island on the right, which was swaying erratically. Its four limbs clung tightly to the island's edge, and the volcano at its tail was already brimming with molten lava.
“Chiying, descend, go above the central double helix islands.”
Chiying didn't hesitate. With a flick of its tail, its dark figure swooped down from above, piercing through the swirling mist, and stably hovered above the two central floating islands rotating in a double helix trajectory.
This height was less than fifteen meters from the secondary island where the Molten Blast Lizard was.
Shui Heyu's eyes narrowed slightly.
Intentionally lowering its altitude? Was she trying to end the battle quickly?
He glanced at the sparks seeping from the gaps in Chiying's scales: two layers of Burn, significant stamina already consumed, and attack power declining.
If he continued to stall, the Dragon's combat power would steadily decline.
But the opponent clearly had no intention of giving him more opportunities to stall.
Rate on N.U.
