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The sudden wave of counterattacks caught Qiao Yifan off guard. Although he had been a part of the Pro League for a year, he hadn’t had any real battle experience there. He had seen a lot in the Pro League, but he barely had any true experience. With his abilities as a foundation, normal players didn’t stand a chance, but Team Everlasting’s players weren’t so easy to deal with. This opening wasn’t something that a normal player could take advantage of.

In the end, what Qiao Yifan lacked was battle experience from this sort of high-end match. Even in-team matches, letting him practice against the members of a champion level team like Tiny Herb. Yet, practice was still very different from a real match.

Qiao Yifan became anxious and hasty after his opponent got the better of him; on the other side, Team Everlasting’s Warlock was doing better and better. He had originally been closed in on by One Inch Ash, but now he was pulling apart their distance as he attacked. But this time, Team Everlasting’s Warlock no longer retreated to an overly cautious distance. After coming to a fair distance away, he stopped moving back. If he stayed relatively close, his attacks would be harder to dodge. Team Everlasting’s Warlock decided to keep the initiative in his own hands, furiously attacking and discarding the caution the tactical notes said he should have when dealing with One Inch Ash.

On the field, tactics and strategy were important, but sometimes it was better if a player did what they felt was right. That was what Team Everlasting’s Warlock was doing right now. He was using his own judgement to create a critical turning point to the match.

On the other hand, Qiao Yifan was unable to steady himself after having the tables turned against him. The more he wanted to take back the upper hand, the more his performance slipped.

Of course, the public chat channel had become extremely active by now. When Leopold was being suppressed by One Inch Ash, no one spoke, but now that the situation had turned, those clenched fists could finally start waving.

Leopold received waves upon waves of encouragement. Even though the players on the field couldn’t see it, the audience could tell that Leopold was linking his moves more and more smoothly, while One Inch Ash’s actions were becoming mechanical, unable to keep up with the pace.

Originally, the audience had the same attitude as Team Everlasting’s Warlock. He didn’t need to win this match, but he at least needed to deal some damage so that the next players could use the advantage. Yet now it seemed that he could use this counterattack to completely wipe out One Inch Ash!

Qiao Yifan had also thought of this. If he lost, then that would mean his opponent had wiped out two people, bringing the situation to a one versus three match. This situation would be the reverse of what had happened in the last round. And in the last round, the one who smiled to the end was Happy with their three to one advantage.

He couldn’t let that happen!

Qiao Yifan became anxious, but he didn’t have enough experience to calm his emotions. His performance was slipping. Instantly, Leopold caught another opening and brought on another wave of attacks. What was even worse was that this opening left him exposed to the Warlock’s control skill. To escape this sort of control, he had to sacrifice a lot, and the cost was something One Inch Ash couldn’t afford.

He…. He lost

One Inch Ash fell.

Under extremely favorable circumstances, his opponent had taken a chance to unleash a wave of counterattacks, catching Qiao Yifan off guard and messing up his pace. He never managed to turn the tides again.

.

Two of Team Happy’s players had already been defeated. As for Team Everlasting? Warlock Leopold still had a third of his health remaining. This advantage was even greater than what Tang Rou had managed last round.

”S… Sorry....” On Happy’s side, Qiao Yifan stood with an expression of shame and didn’t look at anyone as he spoke.

He was an inconsequential member of Team Tiny Herb, an errands runner. Apart from to his best friend Gao Yingjie, he was a person whose existence didn’t matter. Yet, in Team Happy, a team that couldn’t compare to Team Tiny Herb, he felt special.

This feeling made Qiao Yifan wake up smiling, and he was set on not wasting the attention and care everyone gave to him. Unfortunately, he had slipped up in such an important match. After their opponent had gained a flawless victory against Tang Rou, he should’ve been the one to stabilize the situation since he had more experience than her. Especially under such favorable circumstances, losing the upper hand due to a wave of counterattacks that wiped him out, he couldn’t forgive himself and he didn’t have the hope that his team mates would either.

”Apologies are unnecessary.” It was then that he heard that voice. At the All Star Weekend, when he was at his lowest, preparing to give up his career as a pro player, it was this voice that rebuilt the foundation of his confidence.

”Victory is never certain. If you apologize every time you lose, that would be too troublesome,” Ye Xiu said.

Victory was never certain, but losing at such a critical moment, wasn’t that a waste of the expectations everyone had in him?

”I did terribly…” Qiao Yifan said.

”Then do better next time,” Ye Xiu replied. He was very calm and didn’t seem to mind at all. This manner often pissed Chen Guo off, but here, it helped the worry in Qiao Yifan’s heart disperse.

”Good luck, boss!” Steamed Bun suddenly came out of nowhere with that yell. That was when everyone came back to reality. The competition wasn’t over; they still had Ye Xiu and Lord Grim. If they could pull off a one versus three...

”One against three, can you do it?” Chen asked bluntly.

”Haha.” Ye Xiu laughed.

”What are you laughing about?” Chen Guo was pissed off again.

”How is it one against three?” Ye Xiu replied, ”It’s just one against two and one third at most.”

”Alright then…” Chen Guo admitted that she was wrong. Leopold only had one third of his health left.

”We can do this step by step!” As Ye Xiu said this, his Lord Grim had already entered the arena. As for Team Everlasting, they had just finished a round of victorious cheering. Team Everlasting had been like the audience. They hadn’t hoped for any sort of victory, only that Leopold could deal as much damage as possible. In the end, Leopold manage to win beautifully, and they were elated.

”Nicely done!”

”Absolutely wonderful!”

Between matches, no one would stop the players from communicating. Everyone from Team Everlasting had crowded over with all sorts of praise.

”Continue to do well!” In end, this sort of more serious talk was left to their boss, who had personally come to watch.

The third match of the Group Arena soon began.

Unspecialized Lord Grim and Warlock Leopold entered the map after the countdown.

Lord Grim!

This was, without a doubt, the focus of Team Everlasting’s preparations. Lord Grim was rather well-known, but unfortunately, recordings of actual matches between him and others were few and far between. In the end, they could only rely on the experience He An, the only one to fight Lord Grim one on one, could share with them.

120 low end skills were what they had to familiarize themselves with when going against Lord Grim. Being who they were, they weren’t unfamiliar with these skills. They could manage to list them out without thinking if you gave them a piece of paper. However, a character with all 120 skills and all their possible combos was something no one had ever seen.

The difference between different classes was mostly shown through the skills. This sort of all new combination was like an entirely new class in itself. In a single week, was it possible to easily familiarize themselves with and figure out how to deal with a new class?

Even without the class, this player...

Although the media said that the person who applied with Lord Grim wasn’t Ye Qiu, the applicant and the actual player was not necessarily the same person.

Violating the rules like this was common in the Challenger League. Ye Qiu was from the Pro League, but who was to say he would be willing to scoop as low as this? Who was to say he wouldn’t?

Team Everlasting didn’t dare, so they had to prepare for the worst.

If this was before, hearing a name like Ye Qiu would probably make their hands cramp up. Now that they were fighting with their backs to the wall, they were all encouraging each other. Those who had willpower promised to topple this god, those who didn’t silently use ”that’s not Ye Qiu” to try and delude themselves.

They would, of course, exaggerate the flaws Lord Grim had.

Especially his low damage output, which was something clear from when Lord Grim went up against He An’s Go Forth.

”So, even if it is Ye Qiu, we still have a chance. Don’t forget, our goal is to defeat Excellent Era.”

At times like this, Excellent Era had to be mentioned. When compared to this powerhouse, Ye Qiu alone seemed brittle. This comparison was something Team Everlasting was used to making and had lots of practice in making in the Pro League.

”If you perform like you did just now, you won’t have to fear even Ye Qiu. This a competition, and Ye Qiu doesn’t have certainty for victory.” Just as the match started, Everlasting’s players gave their Warlock one last round of encouragement and quietly backed away.

As for the Warlock, he in an optimal condition. He decided to continue to use the same tactics as the latter half of the last match, actively challenging his opponent. Even if he lost, he had to take out an equal amount of health from his opponent.

Bring it on, Lord Grim!

Team Everlasting’s Warlock thought to himself, letting Leopold shoot forwards. Soon enough, Team Everlasting’s Warlock saw Lord Grim amongst the dancing red flowers of the map center.

”Lord Grim, do your worst!”

The Warlock player shouted in the chat, feeling his blood pumping and igniting a round of cheers from the audience.

”Coming.” Lord Grim’s reply was simple and brisk, because he planned to let his actions speak for him.

Three Anti-Tank Missiles were already soaring over.

Do you think you can hit me from that distance? The Warlock player had Leopold easily sidestep, but following that was the continuous noise of a gun firing. Lord Grim closed in even as he shot. The fast movement seemed to have no effect on his accuracy.

Leopold could only keep dodging, while Lord Grim attacked as he closed in.

Yet, on Team Everlasting’s Warlock’s face, there was no anxiety, only the hint of a triumphant smile.