Chapter 12: It Was All the Little Fireballs' Fault, Nothing to Do with Me

Inside the gloomy corridor.

Zhang Kai, Xia Qingyue, and the others widened their eyes, staring at the pile of shattered bones, then simultaneously turned their heads to look at Lin Mo in the middle of the group.

"D-dead... dead?" Zhang Kai's voice was somewhat dry. "Three shots... just three fireballs?"

Xia Qingyue's pair of cold eyes were also full of disbelief.

As an A-rank Water Mage and a top student with perfect scores in theory, she understood better than anyone what the scene just now meant.

Usually, even a Flame Mage possessing S-rank Fire Element affinity would need at least six Fireball spells to kill a level 5 elite monster at full health.

This blank-slate Mage used only three; how is that possible...

And most crucially, it was that terrifying micro-management ability.

That fluidity, that precision in predicting the monster's landing spot, even the control to stop abruptly in mid-air and then accelerate...

Can a blank-slate Mage who just awakened two days ago really do this?

This level of micro-management is something even the top Flame Mage students in the annual Dragon Nation Professional Exam cannot achieve.

"Crunch."

Lin Mo looked at the crowd, casually pulled a bright red nut from a snack bag, and tossed it into his mouth.

The crisp sound of chewing echoed in the quiet corridor.

Then he took out a few more and held them out to the crowd.

"Want some? It's quite spicy."

"This..."

The crowd finally came to their senses.

Lin Mo had just been performing such outrageous micro-management while eating snacks on the side!

"No, I won't eat..."

Zhang Kai replied instinctively.

"Oh, if you won't eat, then forget it."

Lin Mo didn't drag it out, withdrawing his hand.

【"Fireball" let out a cold snort: Tsk, scared stiff already? Just basic moves. Wait until I unleash 'Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers'; won't you all be so scared you'll wet your pants right then and there?】

"I'm saying..."

He swallowed the pine nuts in his mouth, looked at the crowd, and helplessly brushed the crumbs off his hands:

"Why are you all just standing there? Let's move quickly. This rotten place is gloomy; I want to clear it and go back to sleep sooner."

Hearing Lin Mo's voice, the crowd finally snapped out of their daze.

"Ah... oh! Yes! Yes!"

Zhang Kai shuddered violently; the look in his eyes directed at Lin Mo had long lost its previous contempt.

"Lin Shao is right! Lin Shao is awesome!"

"I knew it! Lin Shao's aura clearly shows he's a hidden master! Those three fireballs just now, tsk tsk tsk, simply art! Art!"

Wang Meng also scratched his head foolishly and started sucking up.

Xia Qingyue also looked at Lin Mo with a complex expression.

Originally, she thought this team-up would be a difficult journey carrying a "dead weight," even preparing herself mentally to rescue Lin Mo at any moment.

But now it seems...

Who is the dead weight is not yet certain.

This seemingly lazy young master of the Lin family is not some second-generation heir living off his family's wealth; he is a true monster wearing a sheep's skin!

"Everyone, adjust your state and continue forward."

Xia Qingyue quickly adjusted her mindset; although shocked, as the team leader, she had to remain calm.

"Since Lin Shao has such powerful offensive means, our tactics can be slightly more aggressive."

"Wang Meng, clear the path ahead and speed up a bit."

"Got it!"

Wang Meng, now feeling confident, roared loudly.

Just then,

Liu Weiwei, whose presence had always been relatively low, suddenly turned pale and stared at the pile of white bones just now.

"M-monsters... so many monsters!"

Everyone's hearts tightened as they looked in the direction she pointed.

Where the level 5 elite Nether Spirit Cat had originally appeared, countless pairs of ghostly blue eyes lit up densely.

One pair, two pairs, ten pairs... a full dozens of pairs!

【Nether Spirit Cat, Lv. 5】

All Nether Spirit Cats!

Although their size was slightly smaller than the elite monster just now, making them merely ordinary-level monsters, there were too many of them!

"Don't panic; it's just a group of ordinary-level Nether Spirit Cats. Except for their large numbers, their attributes are far inferior to the elite monster just now!"

Xia Qingyue's voice suddenly rang out, cold and calm.

Her eyes sharpened as she quickly issued orders:

"Wang Meng! Activate 'Unmoving as a Mountain'; hold the front line to the death."

"Zhang Kai! Use 'Arrow Rain' to suppress the left side; don't let them flank us!"

"Weiwei! Shield Wang Meng and be ready for area healing at any time!"

"Everyone, back against the wall, shrink the defensive circle; we'll clear them bit by bit..."

Before Xia Qingyue could even finish arranging her tactics.

Whoosh—!

A familiar wave of heat roared out from behind her once more.

An orange-red fireball shot straight ahead toward those dozens of Nether Spirit Cats.

"Lin Shao?!"

Xia Qingyue exclaimed instinctively.

This young master is far too impulsive...

These are dozens of High-Agility monsters!

Aggroing them recklessly at a time like this could instantly enrage all the monsters and trigger a riot!

"Too reckless..."

But the next second, everyone's eyes widened as they stared at that fireball in disbelief.

The fireball trembled violently and instantly split apart in midair.

In the blink of an eye, it divided into more than ten fireballs, covering the heads of that group of Nether Spirit Cats like a small meteor shower.

"This... this is..."

"Multiple Exploding Fireballs?!"

"Isn't that a novice skill for Fire Element Mages?!"

As a top student, Xia Qingyue recognized it immediately.

Boom boom boom boom boom—!!!

There was no time for anyone to think.

Those dozen or so fireballs crashed into the cat pack.

Immediately, violent explosions echoed throughout the entire Gubao.

Flames shot into the sky!

【Nether Spirit Cat slain, Experience +40】

【Nether Spirit Cat slain, Experience +40】

【...】

【"Fireball Technique" cackled: Hahahaha! How about this move 'Multiple Exploding Fireballs'? Scared you, didn't I? I just comprehended it yesterday!"】

Xia Qingyue quickly came to her senses.

As the team leader, she had to organize the attack quickly.

"Don't just stand there! Quickly!" Xia Qingyue shouted loudly, "Assist Lin Shao in clearing the monsters! Don't give them a chance to catch their breath!"

"Wang Meng, finish off the stragglers! Zhang Kai, focus-fire the low-health targets!"

In fact, little assistance was needed at all.

Because Lin Mo's assault never stopped.

Thanks to the 60% cooldown reduction from his top-tier "Purple Cloud Set," a powerful AOE skill like this normally had a long cooldown time.

But with Lin Mo?

Only six seconds passed!

Whoosh—!

A second fireball roared out, splitting into more than ten fireballs in midair once again.

Under this terrifying firepower coverage, in less than half a minute.

The battle ended.

Xia Qingyue stared blankly at the piles of shattered bones ahead.

Dozens of monsters of the same level, in her original expectation, would have required the entire team to coordinate and carefully kite them for at least ten minutes.

But now?

In less than half a minute, the world was quiet.

"Incredible... absolutely incredible, Lin Shao..."

Zhang Kai spoke dryly.

Everyone's gaze once again fell squarely on Lin Mo, who was eating snacks.

"... Uh"

Lin Mo felt a bit awkward under their stares.

He was just eating snacks and watching the show; this was all Hearing Xiao Huo's doing, nothing to do with him...