AI Model: gemini-2.5-flash
Chapter 313: New Monthly Trial Dungeon Modifier — Mech Combat
Seeing that there was no hope of winning a one-on-one, Irene chose to engage in a group activity with Cheng Tian.
First, they had a 2v2 limited to players and servants: Cheng Tian + Bazett VS Irene + Mina.
A dual-form mage and a close-combat guard against two archers.
And surprisingly, Mina's addition did cause a significant impact on Cheng Tian.
As a professional demon slayer, besides eliminating demonic units, the dark-skinned, white-haired archer specialized in breaking seals and destroying barriers, usually by long-range arrow shots.
Whether it was a binding barrier or a protective barrier, she could deal considerable extra damage; it was a clear class counter.
However, Cheng Tian also had a new guard, Bazett, who, strengthened in the previous dungeon, obtained new equipment, the 'Berserker's Gauntlet,' allowing her to break barrages bare-handed without injury.
For the two archers, Bazett's threat was far greater than Cheng Tian's.
Although Irene also gained close-combat abilities, she was far inferior to a professional close-combat guard like Bazett, and when this slender female ape threw a punch, the near-extreme force almost made both Irene and Mina vomit blood. Even more terrifying, when they used their longbows as temporary blocking tools to defend against Bazett's punches, the bowstrings emitted a near-wailing cracking sound!
If it wasn't a PK battle, they probably would rather take a punch themselves than let their beloved bows bear the brunt.
With Bazett as a close-combat guard forcing the opponents to reposition, Cheng Tian naturally became more at ease, switching between barrier and output freely, harassing and stacking purification and erosion rates.
However, Cheng Tian was always wary of Irene's Storm Power Shot, which she successfully charged and stored at the beginning of the match under Mina's cover. Irene also held onto it as a special tactical threat.
For the current Irene, Bazett's priority was clearly higher than Cheng Tian's.
Although she was unsure about the function of the floating orb on Bazett's shoulder, which was very similar to Cheng Tian's mental crystal, she ultimately decided to eliminate Bazett first, then team up with Mina to take down Cheng Tian.
Surely, two people together could drain Cheng Tian's MP, right?
Thus, Irene seized the opportunity to transform her elven spear back into a longbow. A fully charged arrow, wreathed in a storm, reappeared and aimed at Bazett's exposed back.
But the moment the arrow was fired, Bazett's rounded ears twitched noticeably, and then the small floating orb on her shoulder also changed responsively.
In an instant, it transformed from its original simple lead ball appearance into a magnificent short sword—
Striking after, arriving first! Slash God of War's Arrow (Reversal Light Sword)!
Just as the Storm Power Shot was about to pierce Bazett's back, the Reversal Light Sword actually struck first, bypassing the trajectory of the Storm Power Shot and directly hitting Irene's chest!
When Bazett suffers a blow from an enemy, the Reversal Light Sword will counterattack based on Bazett's choice, dealing 1.1 times the damage of that attack to the target; if this counterattack successfully kills the opponent, the opponent's prior attack will be erased, considered as never having been launched; if the counterattack fails to kill the opponent, Bazett and the enemy will both normally suffer the corresponding damage.
The Reversal Light Sword is a typical conceptual Noble Phantasm; it itself deals almost no damage. Its maximum damage limit is entirely dependent on the opponent's attack strength, and it demands extremely high instantaneous judgment from its user.
If the opponent only fires a normal shot of 50 points, then the counterattacking Reversal Light Sword will only deal 55 points of damage.
But if the opponent's attack is a fatal blow capable of one-shotting, then the Reversal Light Sword can not only counterattack and kill the opponent but also, by killing the opponent, erase the fact that she herself was attacked, thereby avoiding damage.
In the original work, King Arthur's Holy Sword beam, which should have instantly killed Bazett, was erased by the Reversal Light Sword's counterattack mechanism.
However, when facing her former Servant Cu Chulainn, the guaranteed-hit Reversal Light Sword also successfully mutually damaged with the prophesied-hit Gae Bolg.
This is even highly reproduced in the multi-platform fighting game 'Fate/Unlimited Codes,' where the Reversal Light Sword, with its counterattack property, can cancel the opponent's ultimate while dealing damage to them. Only when Cu Chulainn and Bazett clash ultimates does a mutual kill situation occur.
The pre-charged Storm Power Shot dealt extremely high damage, but precisely because it was so high that even she couldn't withstand it, Irene immediately collapsed when the Reversal Light Sword countered. Her HP was locked at 1, her body fell into a dark, dying state, and her soul entered spectator mode.
With only the white-haired, dark-skinned archer left, she clearly couldn't withstand the combined pursuit of Cheng Tian and Bazett.
But this girl was even more stubborn than expected; if it were Cheng Tian, he would have surrendered and started the next round, but Mina directly chose to fight to the death.
It's just a practice PK, is it really worth fighting so desperately?
Seeing this, Cheng Tian directly indulged her, having Bazett twist Mina's neck, ending the battle.
It's worth noting that Cheng Tian had always been watching Mina's companion spirit, Chapulu.
This little creature was indeed Mina's village-destroying beast, with an irreconcilable hatred, but it was also truly loyal to Mina, showing signs of wanting to reveal its true form several times.
Cheng Tian remembered that Chapulu's true form was a creature similar to a 'Komainu,' with considerable combat power, qualified to serve as a vanguard.
But then again, even if Chapulu did transform, what then? Cheng Tian's biological vehicles and combat mounts hadn't even entered the field yet.
Actually, at this point, Irene had already given up on the idea of competing with Cheng Tian. Having failed to beat him up before his class change, she had now permanently lost that possibility... Oh, not necessarily, after all, there's more than just this type of battlefield.
But what Irene wanted to see was Cheng Tian's strongest output lineup.
And so, Irene, with Mina, Chapulu, and her own Saw Crocodile Wyvern, witnessed Cheng Tian's full power (?).
Cheng Tian, with a bewildered Bazett, rode the War Elephant Mammoth, forming a matrix with the Drill Chariot and Bat Chariot on either side. The Primordial Wyvern circled in the air, a group of Silver Raider Knights mounted on warhorses lined up neatly under Saul's leadership, and with Utan's 'Go!' sign for support, they were ready for a second charge at any moment.
Fight? Fight my ass!
Seeing this, Irene immediately hugged her Saw Crocodile Wyvern and lay down on the ground, staring blankly at the sky.
And Mina, who was incredibly stubborn in the previous battle, also rolled her eyes before hugging Chapulu and lying down with her... Time quickly approached the end of the month, the time for the monthly trial.
Similar to last month, Cheng Tian spent most of his time resting and playing. Although Ys Origin yielded many rewards, it also heavily drained his energy, making Cheng Tian feel lazy throughout the month, both in reality and in the space.
However, because he had already been promoted to Black Iron rank, Cheng Tian was able to receive an accurate main dungeon modifier in advance. And upon seeing this modifier, the previously lazy Cheng Tian immediately stood at attention, his eyes almost glowing, because the modifier was—
Mech Combat.