Chapter 54: Full Health

Chapter 54: Full HP

Muershi flapped his blue-purple wings and soared upwards. He was lithe, like an ancient scholar who seemed weak, but without the scholar's solemnity and righteousness. His expressive face could easily conjure up various playful expressions, and his purple eyes often held a mischievous glint, exuding a flirtatious charm. He was talkative and could easily join in conversations, much like an evolved version of a socially anxious person – a social terrorist, if you will.

"Molos and Phaeros only share the same last syllable in their names. Your taste is quite diverse. Why didn't you add me to the mix?" Muershi pouted, tilting his head pitifully. "Do you dislike avian demons?"

"Don't generalize and condemn your own kind," Wen Ying nudged Muershi with his knee. "Back off, I think I saw Wu Shaluo."

"Where? Is it a good time to strike?" Mentioning Wu Shaluo immediately changed Muershi's demeanor and tone. It was clear that he had just been putting on a show for Wen Ying. He had a nature that thrived on chaos and always loved to stir things up.

Wen Ying observed through his binoculars, his voice tinged with curiosity. "Strange, how did he slip past? He's almost at the boundary of our territory, nearly touching our stone."

Wen Ying had been the last one to leave their territory earlier, confirming that no demon was guarding that crucial stone. Initially puzzled, he soon realized the reason.

This was only a monthly practical exam, and the most important thing was the score. Naturally, everyone wanted to obtain more score cards. No demon would choose to stay behind to protect the stone; strong demons would be vying for first place, while ordinary ones would find it meaningless to guard the stone. If the enemy broke through, they would mostly be powerful demons, and these low-ranking minions wouldn't be able to stop them anyway, so why bother?

Likewise, the opposing team probably had the same strategy, leaving no demons behind to defend, essentially using offense as defense. It all boiled down to strength and luck.

"Is he alone?"

Wen Ying nodded. "Come on, let's intercept him." It was more enjoyable to deceive a devil like Wu Shaluo, with whom he had a grudge and disliked, rather than an unfamiliar one. Not only would they gain points, but also satisfaction.

The two devils flew southward from the tree trunk. Many devils had already been tricked by them earlier, so there weren't many left. Most of their path was a straight line, but they were swift, and some devils were even swifter. Wen Ying led the way, and as he heard the fluctuations of magic power ahead, the fight had already begun.

Wen Ying slowed down his flight and hovered in mid-air, raising his hand to stop the Extreme Evil Bird behind him. "It seems that someone else has beaten us to it."

Muershi sniffed. "The scent is somewhat familiar." He flew forward slowly, using the forest as cover to observe what was ahead.

Wen Ying flew beside him and saw the appearance of the fighting devils: the witch fairy Koroy, the cat demon Wei Er, and Wu Shaluo, the Scarlet Crow. The first two had taken the lead.

Wen Ying whispered, "What should we do now?"

Muershi stared at the three devils in front. "Let's wait here for a while. In our current state, we can easily defeat them."

Since the start of the practical exercise, they had truly suffered almost no losses. Wen Ying believed that, apart from those who hadn't encountered any enemies, everyone must have experienced some damage in this practical exercise. Their condition was extraordinary; after eliminating many devils, they were still at full health, with both their HP and MP bars fully charged, as if locked in place.

The two devils lurking behind the trees watched the fight unfold, searching for the right opportunity. The cat demon was much weaker than the witch fairy, so mainly, the witch fairy was casting spells while the cat demon restrained Wu Shaluo. However, Wu Shaluo's flames were too fierce, forcing the cat demon to retreat several times.

Wu Shaluo's goal was not to snatch the score cards; he didn't want to prolong the battle. Hurling the cat demon aside, he swiftly flew past the witch fairy's magic.

A vast web of intertwined vines, resembling a giant spider's web, suddenly materialized in the forest. Wu Shaluo's pupils constricted as he unleashed a ball of fierce flames from his palm. The red flames spread and engulfed the vine net, swiftly destroying it.

With a grave expression, Wu Shaluo turned towards the source of the disturbance. Though he didn't spot any demons, he did see a cluster of thick vines slithering like massive pythons. Leaping into the air, he raised his right hand before him. Fireballs whizzed down like sharp blades, slicing through the vines while setting them ablaze.

In the corner of his eye, Wu Shaluo caught sight of a demonic figure hidden within the vines. He promptly released a barrage of fireballs that plummeted down like a meteor shower, creating an astonishing visual spectacle.

"Are you insane?" a demon emerged from the fiery inferno, railing at Wu Shaluo. "If you don't need your eyes, just discard them! Aren't you afraid of being disqualified for attacking me?"

Mid-air, Wu Shaluo paused, the flaming meteors around him slowing their descent. He focused on Muershi's scorecard on his arm, noting its blue hue.

"You're the one who's insane! If you're on my team, why didn't you show up earlier? What were you sneaking around for? Trying to get me disqualified?" Wu Shaluo retorted disdainfully. In the glow of the flames, the blood slowly trickling down Muershi's forehead was highly visible, indicating that he might have sustained a serious injury.

Wu Shaluo relished in Schadenfreude, "You seem to be having a tough time."

The cat and the enchantress followed closely behind. Wu Shaluo's eyes darkened as he irritably dealt with them, turning to Muershi and saying, "Come and lend a hand."

Muershi pointed behind him, and suddenly, the mass of vines sprang out again. Wu Shaluo asked, "weren't those vines under your control?"

"I have a preference for lightning magic, but I'm not proficient in the wood element."

As they spoke, Muershi dashed behind Wu Shaluo, dragging a series of vines with him. Wu Shaluo cursed and redirected his magic to deal with the overwhelming mass of vines.

"Who did that?"

"Wen Ying," Muershi replied.

Just as he finished speaking, a white demon emerged from the forest beyond the sea of flames. The glow of the fire cast an ominous aura upon his face, making him appear like a malevolent villain.

"Tsk, I thought it was someone else," Wu Shaluo said, his tension easing as he sneered at the wicked bird hiding behind him. "Muershi, you're being chased by a Mirror Demon? If I were you, I wouldn't even dare show my face in front of me. You should just dig a hole and bury yourself. How embarrassing for an esteemed Upper Demon like you."

Muershi ignored his taunts and remained calm. "Block for me, I need to prepare a high-level spell."

"Hmph, you don't need my help," Wu Shaluo glanced at the three demons. "Dream on if you think I'll protect you in this lifetime."

When Cat Demon and Witch Fairy saw Wen Ying, the latter asked, "Shall we team up? We'll split the points evenly."

Wen Ying nodded. "Agreed."

Cat Demon's wrist bore three sharp claws, enchanted weapons that hung from his arm. The razor-sharp blades, resembling cat claws, were about half the length of his hand, exuding a menacing presence.

The Nekomata wore a black, sleeveless, form-fitting garment that facilitated agile movements. With one foot on the tree trunk, his well-proportioned muscles tensed up. He used Wu Shaluo's Meteor Fireball as a trampoline, weaving through the magic and relentlessly closing in.

Wen Ying's gaze involuntarily lingered on the other's waist for a few seconds. It wasn't just slender; it was taut with no excess flesh, boasting an exquisite line. As he moved deftly and swiftly through the spells, like a feline, the bells on his black tail didn't ring, likely because they were muted.

Lacking strength, the Nekomata compensated with momentum and speed. He understood this principle and put it into practice. The witch fairy's magic reinforcements soon arrived. Surrounding leaves took flight like butterflies, obscuring visibility. A fierce gale rose, leaving only the rustling of leaves and the monster-like howl of the wind.

Both Wen Ying and Muershi saw the flurry of dead leaves and instinctively sensed an opportunity!

Wu Shaluo paid no attention to Muershi, who relied on the fact that Wu Shaluo wouldn't dare attack him and hid behind. Wu Shaluo was too lazy to care, only wanting to find a chance to shake off these three green demons. He couldn't drag this out for too long, or else the commotion would attract more demons, spoiling his ambush on the boulder.

A sharp glint flickered in Muershi's eyes as he pounced. He had been covertly observing Wu Shaluo, even amidst the flurry of leaves. He could still lock onto Wu Shaluo's position.

This time, the target proved unexpectedly vigilant. As Muershi reached for the scorecard, Wu Shaluo instinctively dodged, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief.

A card beside Wen Ying flashed white light, revealing an SR "Puppet Master" that restrained Wu Shaluo for a few seconds. Muershi swiftly grabbed the blue scorecard and then quickly distanced himself from Wu Shaluo. It took Wu Shaluo a few seconds to break free from the SR-level "Puppet Master". Flames circled his feet, bursting forth and burning away the obstructive dead leaves.

"Were you born without a brain?!" Wu Shaluo raged, flapping his wings to chase after Muershi. Wen Ying raised his hand, vines hindering Wu Shaluo's progress. Muershi retreated to Wen Ying's side, using the vines to zap Wu Shaluo with a numbing electric current.

Wu Shaluo stopped, furious. "You're really something, sacrificing yourself just to get me out of the game."

The cat crouched down again, ready to pounce at any moment, its golden eyes watching Muershi and Wu Shaluo with both caution and confusion.

Didn't Muershi want his score? By eliminating Wu Shaluo, with three hostile demon factions lurking nearby, Muershi seemed to have severely injured himself. Even if he was an Extreme Evil Bird, they could still oust him from the game.

The Demon Witch Fairy observed Wen Ying standing beside Muershi, pondering for a moment before seemingly grasping something.

Wen Ying patted Muershi's shoulder. "He's a spy."

"A... spy?" Wu Shaluo didn't initially understand the meaning behind Wen Ying's words. Recalling the rules of the live combat drill, there was no mention of spies. His anger was replaced by bewilderment.

"That's precisely what I mean," Muershi removed the blue score tag from his arm and took out a green one from his pocket, putting it on instead.

Instantly, flames resembling a tornado swirled around Wu Shaluo, the strong magic currents stirring the surrounding trees and grass into a rustling chorus.

"MUERSHI!" Wu Shaluo growled each syllable through gritted teeth, his tone and gaze as chilling as a devil's. "You're asking for death!"

Muershi casually shrugged and flicked his ear. "Any new lines? I've already grown tired of that one. You truly have a wicked heart, even suspecting your own teammate. Unlike Phelios, who is so innocent and kind."

Balls of scorching fire rained down like lead shots.

Wen Ying cast a defensive spell and shouted towards the sky, "Teacher, teacher!"

The demon descending from above responded with silence.

He approached the furious Wu Shaluo and said, "Enough now. Hand over your scorecards, I'll record the numbers."

Wu Shaluo seethed, "They cheated!"

"Unfortunately, I've asked, and it doesn't count as cheating," the demon teacher shrugged.

Wu Shaluo: "…" His dark, menacing gaze swept over Muershi and Wen Ying before he gritted his teeth, "We'll see about that!" With that, he pulled out his scorecard from a spatial magic tool and threw it to the ground in frustration.

His scorecard wasn't filled because he had been sneaking around without successfully destroying any of the enemy's stones. Not only did his plan fail, but it also put him at the bottom of the rankings. Even if his team won, he would still be in the back.

Muershi waved, "No need to see you off."

Looking at Wu Shaluo, still engulfed in flames as he left, Wen Ying commented, "He seems very angry."

"Worried?" Muershi leaned closer, "Come here, big brother's got you…" Then, he suddenly remembered that Wen Ying was already an adult and swallowed the rest of his words as if nothing had happened.

"Not really," Wen Ying replied with an untainted expression on his face. "I want to see the same look on our Highness's face." No matter how Wu Shaluo danced, he couldn't match the menacing presence of Beross.

"Pff—" Muershi chuckled. "Looks like my worries were unnecessary. Your appearance is truly deceptive." He paused before suddenly asking, "He's a bird-type demon. Is he within your... preferences?"