Chapter 43: Next Life, Don't Mess With a Cheater

Inside the Trial Tower, the air was thick with a faint smell of burning.

The battle continued, or rather, a one-sided slaughter continued.

Voom—!

As the light of the teleportation array flared, monsters on the third floor just poked their heads out.

Immediately following was a baptism of fireballs raining from the sky.

"Boom boom boom—!"

Muffled explosions echoed within the earthen wall, and the ground trembled slightly.

【Congratulations to candidate Lin Mo! Third floor cleared! Time taken: 3 seconds!】

Lin Mo didn't even lift his eyelids; he simply shifted to a more comfortable side-lying position, chewing on a piece of dried meat.

Fourth floor...

Fifth floor...

The same scene played out repeatedly.

Whether it was skeleton soldiers wielding rusted knives or Shadow Leopards attempting to ambush using their speed advantage.

As long as they dared to teleport over, what awaited them was inevitably a no-dead-angle coverage of 【Multi-Explosive Fireballs】.

【'Earth Shield Technique' sighed with genuine admiration: Big Brother is truly fierce! Big Brother is mighty!】

【'Fireball Technique' snorted coldly: Hmph, naturally. Learn well from this. Though your cage construction is passable.】

"..."

Lin Mo's mouth corner twitched slightly.

This Little Fireball actually had the demeanor of a big brother, now even knowing how to CPU the little brothers.

Nineteenth floor!

Along this journey, whether it was Goblins or Wasteland Wolves.

Or Orcs holding shields, as long as they teleported over, they were pinned at the teleportation point and bombarded relentlessly, unable to get out at all.

【Congratulations to candidate Lin Mo! Nineteenth floor cleared! Time taken: 42 seconds!】

As a beam of golden light shot straight into the sky.

Lin Mo's level reached Lv. 18.

"Not bad, level 18. Just two levels away from learning 【Lightning Strike Technique】."

Although the Fire and Earth dual elements are strong now, as a mage, who can refuse the thunder representing speed and destruction?

【'Fireball Technique' wore a proud expression: Little Thunder? Is this master about to gain another little brother? But since he's here, it's fine. Later, Little Earth takes the hits, Little Thunder runs errands, and this master just handles looking cool.】

【'Earth Shield Technique' rubbed its hands together excitedly: Am I going to be the second brother too?】

"..."

Lin Mo helplessly shook his head.

Soon,

the broadcast voice sounded again, interrupting Lin Mo's thoughts.

"Candidates, please note!"

"Entering the twentieth floor immediately!"

"Monster level on this floor: Lv. 22! And it includes flying monsters! Please prepare for anti-air defense!"

Hearing this, Lin Mo raised his eyebrows slightly.

Flying monsters now?

My current Earth Flow Wall can't seal the top.

Besides, if the top is sealed, how can Fireball Technique explode?

【'Earth Shield Technique' instantly became nervous and started to panic: Master, what do we do? How about we burrow underground later?】

Hearing this, Lin Mo's heart skipped a beat.

The last underground adventure was still vivid in his mind.

"What are you panicking about? With your big brother here, they'll die coming out anyway. Don't do anything rash, Little Earth. Not until the very last moment are you allowed to burrow!"

【'Earth Shield Technique' lowered its head: Alright, Master...】

As he spoke, the countdown reached zero.

"Gah—!!!"

Accompanied by a piercing shriek, ten gray-white monsters with bat wings appeared from the teleportation point.

【Gargoyle, Lv. 22】 x9

【Gargoyle (Elite), Lv. 22】 x1

The elite gargoyle at the front was one size larger than the ordinary ones, and its whole body emitted a faint dark red halo.

The moment they appeared, relying on instinct, they flapped their wings and soared high immediately.

【'Fireball Technique' looked down on them: Heh, sorry, this master's territory is no-fly!】

【'Fireball Technique' roared: Blast them for me!】

Fireballs soared into the air, splitting into fifteen tracking fireballs that precisely locked onto the gargoyles that had just taken flight.

Boom boom boom boom boom—!!!

Firelight shot into the sky, and heat waves rolled.

This wave of firepower coverage was still terrifying in power.

However, an accident occurred.

Although Lin Mo's skill damage far exceeded that of other mages at the same level, one of the foes was still a level-22 elite monster.

Added to that, he wasn't wearing his top-tier cooldown-reducing gear, so he couldn't maintain continuous firepower suppression.

After the first barrage, the remaining elite gargoyle was still alive!

【【Fireball Spell】 scoffed: Hmph, still alive? Try another one from this master!】

Another fireball shot forth with a whistling sound.

Boom!

Flames exploded.

The massive elite gargoyle was charred black all over, yet its health bar still stubbornly retained a sliver!

Not dead!

At this moment, 【Multi-Burst Fireball】 and 【Fireball Spell】 both entered cooldown.

The elite gargoyle seized the opportunity, flapping its damaged wings and bursting free from its cage!

Those crimson eyes instantly locked onto Lin Mo on the ground.

【【Earth Shield Spell】 let out a pig-like scream: Aaaah! The monster got through! Brother, you let it through!】

【【Earth Shield Spell】 in utter panic: Help! Master, be careful!】

Boom—!

As the gargoyle lunged toward Lin Mo, a wall of earth surged upward.

The gargoyle's claws could not budge this Wall of Sighs.

"Xiao Tu, you reacted fast—I knew I could count on you when it mattered."

Lin Mo did not withhold his praise.

Lin Mo deeply understood the art of PUA when it came to his own skills.

The more you praise them, the more they feel their existence has value, the stronger their protective instinct becomes, and the harder they work.

This is called the Way of Controlling Skills: rewards and punishments clearly defined.

【【Earth Shield Spell】, hearing the praise, was instantly moved to tears: Waaah! As long as I'm here, no one shall touch a single hair of my master!】

Meanwhile,

The elite gargoyle, dazed from the collision, did not give up.

It circled around the earth wall, flapped its wings again, and soared high, preparing to attack from above.

Lin Mo looked up and met the gargoyle's gaze midair.

"Sigh, guess I have to step in again."

The next instant,

He raised his hand into a pistol shape, pointing directly at the gargoyle.

"Next life, don't mess with a wallhacker."

Hum—!

At his fingertip, a dark red point of light suddenly coalesced.

"Bang."

Lin Mo's lips parted slightly.

A spiraling thread of dark red flame ripped through the air, instantly piercing through the gargoyle.

Charred stones splattered across the ground.

【Congratulations, examinee Lin Mo! You've cleared Floor Twenty!】

【Time taken: 9 seconds!】

Lin Mo blew at nonexistent smoke from his fingertip.

"Not bad—narrow escape, but no real danger."