Chapter 257: You're the one with so many damn issues, insisting on taking this job!

'Earth Shield Technique' was stunned.

【"The... the Fourth of Ten Thousand Years?"】

The voice of 'Earth Shield Technique' was trembling.

【"Have I really fallen to the point where my Master won't even mention me..."】

【"Master... I am your shield!"】

【"I am Xiao Tu, who swore to protect you for a lifetime! Waaah..."】

A slight arc rose at the corner of Lin Mo's lips.

Everything was under control.

What did Xiao Tu care about most?

It did not care about power or the throne of first place like Hearing Xiao Huo did.

What Xiao Tu cared about most was always only one thing.

That was the safety of its Master and its position in the Master's heart.

"Sigh..."

Lin Mo sighed.

"Xiao Tu, it's not that I don't mention you."

"Look at yourself now."

"Hearing Xiao Huo comprehended the Nine Yang Heaven-Scorching Art last night, Little Ice wields three high-tier divine skills, and Xiao Lei has progressed so rapidly that he has already climbed to second place."

Lin Mo paused for a moment.

He added more fuel to the fire in his heart.

"And you?"

"Your high-tier skill, the Wall of Sighs, can indeed tank hits."

"But then what?"

"Just because you have this one move, have you started to rot?"

"You must know that in the future, your Master will face not only these peers of the current era."

"But also those forbidden spell experts who can destroy heaven and earth with a wave of their hand."

"By that time, can this shield of yours still hold them back?"

"With this attitude of yours, what can I expect from you? If I can't expect anything, then why would I even mention you?"

While speaking, Lin Mo carefully observed the reaction of 'Earth Shield Technique'.

After all, words could not be spoken too harshly.

What if he really made Xiao Tu completely break down and shut himself off?

The essence of the art of managing subordinates, after all...

... lay in precisely grasping the 'degree' between suppression and encouragement.

Carrot and stick; this craft required a careful hand on the heat.

As expected.

Stung by Lin Mo's words, each one piercing the heart...

【"The light around 'Earth Shield Technique' blazed brightly!"】

【"NO!!!"】

【'Earth Shield Technique' let out a roar.】

【"I absolutely cannot let my Master down!"】

【"Master, I swear, I will become the hardest shield in the world! No one shall dare harm a single hair on my Master's head!"】

【"Tonight! Tonight I must go grind monsters!"】

【"Whoever dares to compete with me, I will stab them to death!"】

Hearing that Xiao Tu's battle intent had finally been ignited...

... and that it had even shouted out words like "stab them to death"...

Lin Mo nodded in satisfaction.

Good.

That was exactly the effect he wanted.

However, seeing the howling state of 'Earth Shield Technique'...

...'Fireball Technique', which was occupying Da Bai's body, sneered disdainfully.

【"Hehe..."】

An expression of extreme arrogance appeared on Da Bai's fox face.

【"Having ambition is a good thing."】

【"Second, I am very gratified that you can pull yourself together again."】

【"You few, just work hard!"】

【"Strive... to snatch the second place spot."】

【"Anyway, I have welded the first place position shut! From now on, I will be logging in every single day; just watch! Hahaha!"】

Arrogant!

Unconquerable!

It completely disregarded the other three skills.

【'Ice Cone Technique' ground its teeth in anger: "You violent madman! Just wait, Young Lady!"】

【【Thunder Strike Art】hmmphed coldly: "Don't speak too soon."】

Watching the atmosphere in the skill column swirl up once again.

Lin Mo stretched lazily, threw off the covers, and got out of bed.

His objective had already been achieved.

These guys tonight would probably dig up the ancestral graves of every monster in the wilds.

Tomorrow was the day the Beginner Nation Battlefield opened."

Today, he could still go run the last team dungeon of the day.

After washing up.

Lin Mo changed into a clean set of clothes.

He pushed the door open and stepped out with Da Bai.

……

Afternoon.

Capital University, Team Fuben Center.

Today's hall was thick with a restless, agitated mood.

Because everyone knew.

The Nation Battlefield would open tomorrow.

This was also the last record-breaking run for the Great Demon King Lin Mo before entering the Nation Battlefield.

The moment Lin Mo stepped into the Team Fuben Center hall with Da Bai.

The once-noisy hall fell silent in an instant.

"The Great Demon King is here!"

The students spontaneously parted to form a path.

Their eyes filled with reverence and fervor.

Lin Mo's expression was unhurried; he followed the path all the way to the Fuben Rift.

There.

The nineteen prodigies of Long Xu Ban had long since lined up neatly, waiting.

And at the front of the formation.

Principal Guhe and Year-Level Director Xu Wenchang had also long been standing there.

"Principal, Teacher Xu."

Lin Mo walked forward and greeted them with a smile.

"Mm."

Guhe looked at Lin Mo with a beaming smile.

"You're here."

"Go on."

"Go speed-clear today's team dungeon. At your pace, it'll only take a few minutes anyway."

Guhe patted Lin Mo on the shoulder.

"Once you're done, I'll go over some things with you in detail—about tomorrow's Nation Battlefield."

Lin Mo nodded.

"Got it."

Then.

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the members of Long Xu Ban.

"Move out."

Lin Mo waved a grand hand.

He led the group in a mighty procession into the Fuben Rift.

Light flickered.

The twenty figures vanished from the hall in an instant.

……

Watching Lin Mo and the others go in.

Xu Wenchang looked up at the record above the rift—the one belonging to the Adams family.

【Clear Time: 26 min 45 sec】

"Principal."

"Do you think this kid Lin Mo can break it down to under one minute this time?"

Hearing this question.

Guhe stroked the beard on his chin and asked back with a smile:

"Old Xu."

"Do you think… under two minutes, and under one minute…"

"Is there a difference?"

Xu Wenchang was briefly stunned.

Guhe looked at that record time and chuckled softly:

"Whether it's 50 seconds, or 1 minute 50 seconds."

"For the Adams family, for the whole world—that's a dimensional reduction strike."

"Anyway, with a score like this, I'm afraid for the next few hundred years, no one will ever be able to surpass it."

"He, Lin Mo, has already become a mountain that can never be crossed."

Xu Wenchang listened and sighed in deep agreement.

"True enough."

"This kid... honestly, I'm truly envious."

Not far from the two of them.

Among the students on the outer edge of the great hall.

A small group was huddled together, excitedly discussing in low voices.

"Come on, come on!"

A chubby senior in his third year called over to his dormmates nearby.

"Betting on the Great Demon King's clear time this run!"

"Under one minute, between one and two minutes, over two minutes... though I don't think that's very likely."

A skinny guy beside him immediately pulled out his meal card.

"I bet under one minute!"

"The Great Demon King cleared it in 57 seconds yesterday, so his condition has to be even better today! Betting one week of cafeteria meal runs! Anyone dare to take that bet?"

The chubby guy panicked when he heard that.

"No way!"

"I want to bet under one minute too!"

The chubby guy looked around.

"Anyone betting one to two minutes? Come on, someone take the other side!"

Just then.

A guy from the same dorm stepped forward.

"Then let me keep you company on this bet."

"Today's Team Fuben is called 【Frenzied Beast Abyss】. The monsters inside are all high-defense, high-HP mechanical types, plus there's a maze layout."

"Even if the Great Demon King's damage is off the charts, it'll probably still take him two minutes."

The guy spoke with absolute confidence.

"Your week of meal runs — I'm taking them."

Hearing someone take the other side of the bet.

The chubby guy and the skinny guy immediately beamed with joy.

"Hahahaha! Good brother!"

"You said it yourself!"

Not long after the words fell.

Ripples spread across the spatial rift.

Everyone turned their gaze toward it.

【Current Fastest Clear Record Team: Lin Mo, Ye Kong, Han Mengyao, Chu Lingxuan, Wang Dawei...】

【Final Clear Time: 50 seconds】

In an instant.

The entire venue erupted.

"50 seconds!!!"

"Holy shit! 50 seconds?!"

"Speedrun? Speedrun my ass! The Great Demon King just bulldozed the maze flat, didn't he!"

"That's insane!"

The chubby guy and the skinny guy were so excited they jumped on the spot.

"Hahahaha!"

"Thanks for the breakfast, good brother!"

"Good brother, remember I want the meat buns from the East Cafeteria tomorrow morning!"

The guy's mouth twitched.

He couldn't help but slap himself.

It's you and your damn meddling, insisting on taking the other side of this bet.