Chapter 1074: Heaven's Hooligans vs. Crimson Blades
Tank, meanwhile, intercepted blows meant for his teammates, his shield absorbing the impact of powerful strikes. He used his immense strength to push back against the onslaught, creating openings for his team to exploit. Greenie, with his brute strength, supported Tank, their combined might forming an unbreakable frontline.
Beast and Laura continued their ranged assault, targeting the Crimson Blades\' mages who were shielding their team. Beast\'s arrows were relentless, finding chinks in the enemy\'s armor, while Laura\'s spells aimed to disrupt their concentration. The enemy mages retaliated with their own spells, but the combined efforts of Beast and Laura kept them on the defensive.
Shadow\'s movements were a blur as he darted between the enemy lines, his daggers striking with deadly precision. His ability to move unnoticed allowed him to create chaos within the enemy ranks, drawing their attention away from the main battle. His strikes were aimed at vital points, weakening the enemy and creating opportunities for his team.
Aelrinder and Jin coordinated their attacks seamlessly. Aelrinder\'s spear thrusts were precise, keeping the enemy at bay, while Jin\'s fists delivered powerful blows that disrupted their formations. Even though the two haven\'t known each other for long, their synergy was quite good and they fought very well together.
The Crimson Blades\' leader, frustrated by the unyielding resistance of Wolf and Tank, called out to his team. "Focus on the mages and the assassin! Take them out first!" His voice boomed across the battlefield, a clear indication of his strategic mindset.
Hearing the command, the Crimson Blades\' mages redirected their spells towards Beast, Laura, and Shadow. Searing bolts of energy and waves of force targeted them, forcing Beast and Laura to intensify their defensive maneuvers. Shadow, using his agility, managed to evade most of the attacks, but the pressure was mounting.
"Stay focused!" Reign shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Don\'t let them isolate us!"
With renewed determination, Beast and Laura redoubled their efforts, their attacks becoming even more precise. Beast\'s arrows struck with even more force behind them as he used his wind ability to make them faster and more powerful while Laura had woven intricate patterns in the air, disrupting the enemy\'s attacks.
Shadow, ever the opportunist, continued to strike from the shadows, his daggers finding their marks and weakening the enemy\'s defenses.
He was teleporting around the battlefield and attacking the enemies quickly, his teleportation making it impossible for the enemy mages and archers to accurately aim at him. That made the pressure on Shadow lessen by quite a bit as nobody wanted to hit one of their own by mistake.
Reign and Mia pressed their assault on the opposing fighters, their coordination flawless. Mia\'s frost magic created a slick layer on the ground, causing the Crimson Blades to lose their footing and providing Reign with the openings he needed.
She didn\'t stop with that, of course, as she was also fighting in close range with her sword in hand, going all out and defeating their enemies. Reign\'s dual swords danced through the air, each strike aimed to incapacitate rather than kill, demonstrating his skill and control.
As the battle raged on, it became clear that the Heaven\'s Hooligans were gaining the upper hand. The Crimson Blades\' formation began to falter under the relentless assault, their movements becoming more desperate.
Seeing an opportunity, Reign called out to his team. "Push forward! We\'ve got them on the ropes!"
With a unified effort, the team advanced. Greenie and Tank broke through the frontline, their combined strength overwhelming the Crimson Blades\' and causing them to be pushed back. The warhammer wielder\'s defiance was evident, but the sheer force of Wolf\'s strikes eventually wore him down.
Shadow, seizing the moment, appeared behind the enemy leader, his daggers poised for a critical strike. With a swift, decisive motion, he delivered a disabling blow, forcing the leader to his knees.
"It\'s over," Reign said, his voice steady as he stood before the defeated leader. "Yield."
The leader of the Crimson Blades, breathing heavily, looked up at Reign with a mix of frustration and respect. "You... you\'ve earned this victory," he admitted, dropping his warhammer in a gesture of surrender.
Ding!
[ First Regular Trial Complete. Victory: Team Heaven\'s Hooligans. ]
The announcement echoed through the arena, and the crowd erupted in applause, their cheers a testament to the hard-fought battle. Reign and his team stood victorious, their bodies bruised and exhausted but their spirits soaring with triumph.
"Well done, everyone," Reign said, his voice filled with pride as he looked around at his team. Each member had fought with skill and determination, and their unity had carried them through the battle.
The elven woman reappeared, her expression one of respect and admiration. "Congratulations," she said. "You have proven yourselves once again."
"You are one step closer to completing the challenge."
Reign and his team followed her out of the arena, their minds already focused on the trials ahead. They knew that the challenges would only grow more difficult, but their determination remained unyielding.
As they returned to their quarters, the team took a moment to reflect on their victory and the battles yet to come. They knew that each trial would test them in new ways, pushing them to their limits and beyond.
"Let\'s rest and recover," Reign said, his voice steady. "We\'ve got more trials ahead, and we need to be ready."
As they rested and prepared for the next trial, the elven woman reappeared to provide more information about the upcoming challenges. "The next trial will require you to demonstrate your individual skills and strengths," she explained. "You will face a series of one-on-one battles against opponents chosen to test your abilities to their fullest."
"The trial will commence tomorrow."
Reign nodded, absorbing the information. "Understood, we\'ll be ready."
The team nodded in agreement, their resolve strong. Each member understood that the next trial would test not only their individual skills but also their mental fortitude and ability to adapt to unforeseen challenges. They dispersed to prepare, some heading to the training areas while others opted for the recovery pools to relax their bodies and minds.
Reign remained in the strategic planning room, studying the holographic displays and potential combat scenarios. He knew that their success in the upcoming individual trials would depend heavily on their ability to anticipate and counter the diverse range of opponents they would face.
The battlefield they were in today was a simple one, an arena that was large and was covered in soil.
But from what they could see, there were many different kinds of arenas one could fight in, with a very big difference between them.
There were arenas similar to the one Reign and the others had fought in today that had many traps and obstacles installed, there were arenas that were a large forest, a jungle, arenas covered in sand, in ice …
Depending on which arena they were given, the battle they would have would be different, with different things one had to be on the lookout for.
As night fell, the team gathered for a final strategy session. Reign stood at the head of the table, his eyes moving from one teammate to the next. "Tomorrow\'s trial will be different," he began, his voice calm and steady. "Each of us will face our own battle, but hey, when have any of us feared fighting any opponent one-on-one?"
Wolf and the others smirked, nodding their heads at Reign as he was right. They never shied away from a battle, no matter who their opponent was.
The only time they would do their best not to fight was if the enemy was an entire realm above them, which would be suicidal.
The group rested, allowing their weary bodies to get back to their peak condition and their mental exhaustion to lessen before going to sleep.
The next day started with them all gathering in the large living room of the accommodation and having breakfast, which was of course given to them by the staff of the arena.
The breakfast was supple, consisting of a variety of dishes that were not only delicious but quite nourishing as well.
After breakfast, they rested a bit more, talked about the upcoming trial, and then were greeted by the elven woman who entered the accommodation and greeted them politely.
"The trial is about to commence, please follow me."