Chapter 58: You Call This a Mage?

Black mud swamps, mist swirling.

"Young Zhao Shao, Xia Qingyue just warned Lin Mo in advance. Will Lin Mo really come? Could he have chickened out?"

The lackey beside Zhao Yu had grown somewhat impatient while waiting.

Zhao Yu let out a cold sneer, his tone certain:

"You don't know Lin Mo well enough. I've been fighting him since we were kids; even when we wore split-crotch pants, the elders put us together to compare."

"For these eighteen years, though he looks lazy and casual on the surface, deep down he is more arrogant than anyone."

"Besides, he just took first place in the Trial Tower and broke the record."

"He is at the height of his spirits; even if he knows I've gathered people here waiting for him, he will definitely come."

Hearing their leader's analysis, the few lackeys around exchanged glances, then revealed expressions of sudden realization; the original trace of anxiety vanished instantly.

"No wonder you're Young Zhao Shao! You've got that kid's mind figured out perfectly!"

One lackey waved his fist, sneering:

"Hehe, as long as he dares to come, we'll teach him how to be a proper person! Let him know why the flowers are so red!"

Zhao Yu narrowed his eyes and turned to face the fifty or sixty elite candidates behind him.

He took a deep breath, his voice booming:

"Listen up! Today, if you can get Lin Mo eliminated, I, Zhao Yu, will triple the reward we agreed on!"

At these words, the crowd erupted immediately.

"Young Zhao Shao is generous!"

"Down with Lin Mo!!"

"Down with Lin Mo!!"

The shouts of dozens of people merged together, their momentum shaking the heavens.

Just then.

Lin Mo's figure appeared within everyone's line of sight.

Everyone instinctively tightened their grip on their weapons, held their breath, and stared fixedly ahead.

This feeling...

Was like waiting for a long-awaited BOSS that had finally spawned.

Tense, thrilling, expectant, yet carrying a trace of inexplicable fear.

Lin Mo stopped, frowned slightly, and stuck out his little finger to dig his ear.

"Tsk... so noisy."

"I could hear you howling like ghosts from far away; anyone hearing it would think someone's family was holding a funeral."

"..."

The entire field fell deathly silent.

"Lin Mo!"

Zhao Yu strode out from the crowd, wearing his usual arrogance and mockery on his face.

"You really dare to come."

"Knowing full well this is a trap, knowing full well this is the Black Mud Swamp, you still came alone."

Zhao Yu shook his head and let out a sigh full of mockery:

"Should I say you're too overconfident... or should I say you're stupid to the extreme?"

"Took first place in the first stage, broke a record, and now you really think you're invincible under heaven?"

Not far away, beside a withered, crooked-neck tree.

Xia Qingyue was wrapped in a ball of white light; that was the state of "Soul Protection" taking effect.

Though she could not move, her consciousness was clear.

Seeing Lin Mo alone, Xia Qingyue felt extremely anxious in her heart.

Young Master Lin...

This is the Black Mud Swamp, a terrain that suppresses both fire and earth, and across from us are dozens of elite candidates...

Can he really win?

Facing Zhao Yu's mockery, Lin Mo seemed not to hear it at all.

He even ground his shoe sole against the black mud beneath his feet, then glanced around.

"Young Zhao Shao, I must say, you've chosen a fine spot here; rotten mud that can't stick to a wall is quite suitable for burying people."

"Burying people?"

Zhao Yu's smile froze on his face.

Why?

Why, even at this point, can this guy still be so calm?

The terrain clearly suppresses him!

The numbers clearly crush him!

All the advantages are clearly on my side!

On what basis can he still wear this expression?

A nameless rage surged straight to Zhao Yu's crown.

"Good! Very good!!"

Zhao Yu's face twisted into a grimace as he roared:

"Dying is at your doorstep, yet you still dare to talk tough!"

"I'll just have to see if you can still be so composed in a moment!"

"Attack!"

Following Zhao Yu's command, dozens of examinees erupted simultaneously, and multicolored skill lights flared up instantly.

However.

Lin Mo's movements were faster than theirs.

【Quicksand Domain】, deploy!

A wave of fluctuation centered on Lin Mo instantly swept across a thousand meters in all directions!

They were shocked to discover that the soft, rotten mud ground beneath their feet had, in that instant, transformed into countless quicksand whirlpools.

Terrifying suction force surged up from beneath their feet.

"What's going on?!"

"I... I can't move!"

"I can't even cast displacement skills..."

Zhao Yu noticed it too.

He suddenly looked up, meeting Lin Mo's cold, mocking eyes.

Lin Mo still stood in place, slowly raising his right hand, extending his index finger, pointing directly at Zhao Yu.

Voom—!

Dark red light points gathered at extreme speed, spinning wildly, distorting the surrounding air due to high heat and friction.

At the same time.

Those examinees, unable to move, discovered that beneath their feet, bright red light circles were lighting up.

Dense and numerous, like the red spider lilies blooming in hell, emitting an aura of destruction.

"Th... what is this..."

Zhao Yu's pupils contracted violently. "Lin Mo! What have you done?!"

A curve formed at the corner of Lin Mo's mouth as he spoke lightly: "Nothing, just wanted to send you all... straight to heaven on the spot."

"???"

Zhao Yu froze for a moment.

The next instant,

Boom—!!!

A dark red spiral of fire, carrying an aura capable of destroying heaven and earth, instantly tore through the air and pierced straight through Zhao Yu's chest!

At the same time.

Boom boom boom boom boom—!!!

More than twenty thick pillars of blazing fire erupted from those red circles!

Accompanied by fifteen exploding fireballs falling from the sky, in that instant, the entire black mud swamp seemed to be ignited!

Crimson firelight shot skyward, completely tearing apart the gray sky, swallowing up all the screams along with it.

Beams of white light rose up one after another.

That was the glow of 【Soul Protection】 taking effect, dense and numerous.

Fifty or sixty people were instantly wiped out by two-thirds.

The flames dispersed, thick black smoke rolling.

Only a few dozen people remained on the field.

They were either lucky enough not to be covered by the fire pillars and red circles, or they were tank-type classes with decent positioning, merely grazed.

But at this moment, their eyes were filled with fear, their legs trembling uncontrollably.

"I... I wasn't hit..."

One examinee muttered to himself.

He raised his head, looking at that young man.

Illuminated by the firelight, Lin Mo's figure was stretched very long.

This is...

The true worth of clearing thirty floors in twenty-four seconds?

An invisible pressure swept over them.

"He used all his skills! Take advantage of now!"

In the deathly silence, a roar came.

It was the triplet brothers.

They were luckier, not directly hit by the fire pillars, merely grazed.

Even so, they were still half-dead.

"Go for it! As long as we eliminate him, millions will be ours!"

Men die for wealth, birds die for food.

Under the huge temptation of profit, the three brothers unleashed their last potential.

Just then, the binding time of the quicksand ended.

They suddenly charged toward Lin Mo.

"Die!!!"

The eldest brother roared, raising the tower shield in his hand.

The second and third brothers followed closely behind, ready to strike from left and right.

Boom—!!!

Crimson magma erupted from thin air, instantly covering Lin Mo's entire body.

Lin Mo clenched his right fist, the scalding magma flowing over his knuckles.

He met that Thick Face tower shield and punched out with all his might!

Bang—!!!

A deafening roar.

The tower shield shattered instantly!

The fist's momentum unbroken, it slammed heavily into the Eldest's chest.

"Pfft!"

The Eldest spat a mouthful of fresh blood and flew backward.

While he was still airborne, Bai Guang flared to life, directly forcing him into the Shelter state!

This scene left the Second and the Third utterly stunned.

No way.

Even though our Eldest's health is low right now.

You smashed the tank's shield with a single punch and sent him straight into the Shelter state.

You call this a Mage?