LUO YAN watched as Nereid effortlessly negated Eclipse''s illusion. His first thought was, ''This is going to be hard.'' Despite that, a grin spread across his face. After all, wasn''t it more fun to fight a strong opponent than a weak one?


    As monsters started attacking him and Eclipse, Luo Yan swiftly moved to engage, leaping from one rock to another. He dodged a lunge from the nearest monster, then countered with quick, precise strikes from his daggers. Each cut was efficient, aimed at killing the monsters.


    Eclipse, using his agility, bounded across the rocks, shing at the monsters with sharp ws. He created confusion among the monsters, making it hard for them to focus their attacks. Luo Yan moved in sync with Eclipse, covering each other''s blind spots.


    Nereid yed her harp continuously, and the effect on the monsters was immediate. Their eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and their movements became more aggressive. One monster, previously sluggish, now leaped from rock to rock with speed and ferocity, forcing Luo Yan to backpedal and narrowly dodge its swipe.


    Another monster, its strength amplified, mmed its fist onto a rock near Eclipse, causing it to shatter and disrupt his bnce. Luo Yan countered an overhead strike from a monster, noting the increased force behind the blow. He parried and retaliated, but each monster seemed to grow stronger with every note from Nereid''s harp.


    It was now quite obvious that Nereid was behind the relentless monster attacks on their team earlier.


    Luo Yan dodged another monster''s swipe and leaped to the next rock, his eyes locked on Nereid. Despite the frenzied attacks from the monsters, he pushed forward with determination. He moved swiftly, his two daggers shing as he cut through the obstacles in his path.


    Eclipse created a brief distraction, luring several monsters away and giving him a clear path. Seizing the opportunity, Luo Yan sprinted across the rocks, closing the distance between him and Nereid. With a final leap, he lunged at her, his daggers poised for a decisive strike.


    Just as his des were about to reach her, Nereid yed a rapid sequence on her harp. A shimmering barrier of water erupted between them, deflecting Luo Yan''s attack. The force of the deflection pushed him back onto the nearest rock.


    Despite the failed attempt, Luo Yan quickly regained his footing, ready to find another opening.


    Damn. He swung his dagger at the monster about to attack him. If he could just nick Nereid with his daggers, she would be afflicted by the debuff from the Eternal Lotus core, rendering her unable to move for a few seconds. At the same time, he could also use the ''blessing'' bestowed on his daggers by the archdemon Beelzebub.


    It was a skill he had never used during this Cup, but after witnessing Nereid''s relentless control over the monsters and her cunning defenses, he decided she deserved special treatment. The challenge wasnding a hit first before he could activate it.


    Luo Yan didn''t have time to think of a way to go about it because the surrounding monsters started to go crazy again.


    [Master, what should we do? If we continue like this, we''ll just ran out of time.] - Eclipse sent a telepathic message.


    And Eclipse was absolutely right. There were only eight minutes remaining before the match ended. If they didn''t cross the green light before the time limit, their team would lose.


    Countless ideas started to swirl in his mind. And when he saw the sky started to light up, a smile slowly crossed his lips.


    -----


    Let''s go a few minutes back.


    After defeating Bellona, Shen Ji Yun resumed his search for the Mage. The item he was using to breathe underwater would soon lose its effect. Since Bellona was in this area, the Mage should also be nearby. If he couldn''t see her, it meant something was hiding her.


    Shen Ji Yun released purple lightning underwater, the electric pulses illuminating the surrounding area. As the lightning spread out, he noticed something different—a faint, irregr shimmer among the rocks. Intrigued, he swam closer and saw an unnatural pattern of light bending around a small object wedged between the rocks.


    The object had intricate carvings and emitted a subtle, rhythmic glow that distorted the surrounding water. He reached out and carefully touched the object. As his fingers brushed the surface, a surge of energy pulsed through the water, disrupting the cloaking field. And the person who had been hiding behind it was suddenly revealed.


    Zhu Jingyi was caught off guard by the sudden exposure, and tried to retreat. But YUN acted quickly, channeling more purple lightning into his sword. He lunged forward, aiming for her. She began casting a defensive spell, but YUN''s lightning-charged de struck first.


    She managed to dodge at thest second. It was hard to attack and defend at the same time, especially while maintaining an ongoing skill. But perhaps her anger at the other fueled her, allowing her to pull through.


    The lightning surged through the water, breaking the Zhu Jingyi''s concentration and shattering her initial defenses. However, she quickly recovered, summoning a barrier of swirling water around herself. The barrier absorbed YUN''s next strike, and she retaliated with a burst of magical energy, pushing him back.


    Shen Ji Yun steadied himself and pressed the attack. The Mage conjured a series of water bolts,unching them at him with precision. He twisted mid-water, using the momentum to strike from a different angle. His de found its mark, cutting through her defenses.


    Zhu Jingyi, realizing the danger, quickly created another barrier andunched more water bolts. YUN maneuvered skillfully, avoiding the attacks while steadily closing the gap.


    She summoned a whirlpool to trap him in a desperate attempt. YUN, however, countered with a surge of purple lightning, disrupting the whirlpool and sending shocks through the water.


    Zhu Jingyi nced at her MP bar. It was almost at zero. Once it hit that point, the skill she was maintaining would stop, and she wouldn''t be able to fight this jerk anymore.


    Desperation set in as she realized her dwindling options, knowing that with one final effort, she had to make her next move count before her MP ran outpletely.