Since it was said that there were new effects, Siberian Duck decisively turned off double speed and, just like before, started testing from the basic attack.
This time, "Strutting Through the Streets" added a move where he looked left and right, possibly selecting a suitable weapon.
But at the moment, there was only Nero in the team. After failing to find a handy weapon, he had no choice but to condense wind into a sword and then go for a jump cleave.
The Flamespawn lost a third of its HP bar from a single jump cleave. After that, it launched a fireball attack, and Nero's HP dropped just a little.
Next came testing the skill.
The skill's visual effects had changed quite a lot, it wasn't like before, where he just rushed out like the wind.
Nero formed hand seals on the spot, and several Wind Swords spread out into a sword formation, directly attacking the Flamespawn.
One upward slash, one split-through penetration, one combined piercing strike, six bounce hits in total, the same move Nero used earlier in the story to take down the Frostspawn.
The six bounces instantly took out the Flamespawn, and then the story continued.
Another cutscene followed. Nero instantly took Clara away and then chopped down the Flamespawn with a single sword strike.
"So the trial effects actually follow the story?" Siberian Duck sighed with emotion. "That's way too attentive!"
[Royal Straight Flush: Oh no, Little Fish has become graceful. Then again, what wind-type isn't graceful?]
[I Don't Have A Name: Yanqing, what do you think now?]
[Genius Youth: Yanqing: One person's energy is always limited. For Nero to master two paths is truly impressive. I should work even harder to become stronger. Perhaps I should also learn how to use a heavy sword.]
[I Use Pantene: Skill effects following the story is indeed very nice, but I'm more interested in the skill names. Dan Heng's skill names carry the Spear Art title, and now Nero's skills also have the title "My Bestowed Sword Art." Does this mean Little Fish has a master?]
[Little Fish's Sword: I think, judging by Little Fish's personality, this is more likely just a name he came up with on the spot.]
[Aha's Messenger: I'm talented, I casually make up sword moves, so I'll call them My Bestowed Sword Art! Is that it?]
After rescuing Clara, the others arrived as well, and then Nero showed off a wave of ancient machine spirit pacification techniques.
"Alright, alright, so this is how you play it, huh? I play like this too!" Siberian Duck said. "I admit, the tapping method is very effective!"
[Glue Man: True, same here. If something at home doesn't work, just smack it a couple times and it works again.]
[Air-Dried Leaf: I used to do that a lot too, until one day I accidentally smashed my computer screen.]
[So Handsome I Get Beaten When I Go Out: May I ask, brother, why exactly were you hitting the computer?]
[Air-Dried Beef: How do I put it… I was playing a horror game. The computer broke, and ghost faces popped up on the screen.]
[So Handsome I Get Beaten When I Go Out: I see.]
After the machine spirit pacification was demonstrated, everyone began persuading Clara.
Later on, March even decided to use "we are aliens" to convince Clara.
However, faced with the alien explanation, Clara said that she was no longer a child, and those kinds of stories adults made up couldn't fool her.
As a result, Nero bluntly said at that moment, "But you are a child?"
Both his expression and his words carried a sense of confusion, as if he genuinely couldn't understand why Clara, who was clearly a child, insisted she wasn't one, this desire to seem more mature left him puzzled.
If an adult character said this line, it might be a bit off-putting, but when Nero said it, there was no problem.
Because when an adult says it, it might be some kind of rhetorical tactic driven by ulterior motives, but when Nero says it, he definitely just thinks that way.
As everyone knows, Nero never lies. He doesn't have that many schemes.
"Hahahaha!" Siberian Duck burst out laughing, and laughed even harder after seeing Clara choke up, unsure what to say. "Baby! How can you talk to a girl like that! If you're like this, you won't find a girlfriend in the future!"
[Dan-heart Eternal: What a joke. With Little Fish's talent, how could he not find a girlfriend? Just standing there with his looks would attract plenty, and if he learned one or two sweet lines, wouldn't that be an easy win?]
[Wind-Type Boy Solo Main: Get lost! Take your cheesy pickup lines and stay away from Little Fish. I can't even imagine Little Fish saying cheesy lines!]
[Aha's Messenger: Little Fish: There are five kinds of spicy in the world, mild spicy, medium spicy, extra spicy, insane spicy, and then there's the kind where I miss you spicy!]
[Cool Breeze Blowing My Butt: Aaaah! Get out! Get out of my eyes!]
[My Pee Is Yellow: Why so much hostility? If Little Fish said something like that, I think it would actually work pretty well. After all, some things instantly become cute when you look at personality and looks.]
[Little Fish Is My Dad: Yellow Pee, dare you fight me to the death!?]
Watching the barrage roll by, Siberian Duck laughed and said, "Yes, yes, you're all right, but I still have to say, Little Fish's behavior here is extremely straight-man.
"But Little Fish is naturally beautiful, so he doesn't need to worry about this at all. You guys are different though, if you act like this, you really will fail to find a girlfriend, quack quack quack quack!"
[An Arrow Hit My Knee: Pfft! Streamer, your heart is too cruel!]
[Siberian Little Black Duck: Streamer, if you can talk less, then talk less.]
[REOLwww: Poisonous woman, you poisonous woman! (glaring) I will kill you… kill you... (weak breathing)]
In the end, Clara was persuaded by everyone.
Following the quest guidance, after repairing the Mechanical Settlement's energy hub, everyone finally met Svarog under Clara's guidance.
And before that, the players also learned that the robot on the stone bridge in front of the disaster-stricken gate was called Timmy.
"Timmy… Timmy!? Timmy, you're guarding a bridge here too!?" Siberian Duck said.
[I Am Kamisato Ayaka's Dog: Timmy, where are your pigeons, Timmy? Were they all killed by the Traveler?]
[Love Gate: Timmy is really miserable, he can't escape your bullying even across games.]
[ayaya: Then I have to ask, Traveler, is Star Rail fun?]
After meeting Svarog, it was time for negotiations.
Svarog stated that, for Clara's sake, he was willing to give everyone a chance to negotiate.
Through some of Svarog's words and actions, everyone judged that Clara must be extremely important to him.
And at this moment, Nero proposed a shocking suggestion, kidnap Clara and threaten Svarog.
"Little Fish! How can you say something so terrifying with such a cute face and voice, smiling like that!"
[Dan-heart Eternal: Xianzhou young sword immortals are like this. You might think this is using any means necessary, but it's actually flexible adaptation.]
[Lan: That's right. Regardless of consequences or cost, Little Fish, you did well!]
[Belobog Savage: Still gotta be my Fish Bro, ruthless, and talks a lot too.]