Chapter 1 The First Level
Inside the first level...
Through the small amount of mist inhaled initially, Ying quickly analyzed that the density of the dense fog was not very strong.
With the Doctor's ability, it was clear that he could have done a more thorough job, but he didn't. This dense fog was likely a deliberate limitation placed upon her to prevent her elemental energy from depleting much faster than it could recover.
Heh... how thoughtful.
Soon, countless roars emanated from around Ying. Although they were at a distance and only their silhouettes could be seen through the fog, it didn't prevent Ying from knowing they were Hilichurls. After all, she had heard this sound far too many times. kanδん
*Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!!*
The next second, countless arrows pierced the dense fog, shooting towards Ying's location from all directions. The sheer number was like a downpour composed of arrows.
Ying directly drew her silver sword from her backpack and, coupled with her nimble footwork, continuously dodged and sliced through the incoming arrows.
She had intended to weather the first wave of arrows before charging into their ranks, or to wait for the Hilichurls with clubs to attack first. However, they far exceeded Ying's expectations.
It wasn't just the ridiculously large number, but they showed no intention of charging forward. They stood perfectly still, waiting for the bow-wielding Hilichurls to attack her.
Even the archers didn't shoot randomly, but attacked her in batches, launching a continuous assault that gave her no chance to catch her breath.
"Tch... I originally wanted to conserve some elemental energy, but if it goes on like this, it'll be endless..."
Ying frowned, cut down a few more arrows, then put away her silver sword, crossed her hands in front of her.
"Hiyah!"
Instantly, a powerful gust of wind erupted outwards, shattering their formation.
*Ding～*
A crisp sound suddenly echoed in Ying's ears. She instinctively turned her head and saw a giant display screen that had appeared in the sky at some point.
35/10000
Ying was momentarily stunned, but quickly reacted, murmuring.
"The first checkpoint, a full ten thousand Hilichurls, is it..."
With that said, Ying raised her hand, extended her index finger and thumb, and lightly tapped in mid-air.
*Rumble rumble rumble—!!*
In an instant, a violent whirlwind swept through again, scattering the Hilichurls' formation that was just about to recover.
To avoid wasting the elemental energy consumed, Ying didn't hesitate further and summoned her silver sword again, charging into the Hilichurl ranks.
Gleams flashed, and a bloody gash appeared on the necks of countless Hilichurls, separating them from their bodies. She then turned, using her clever footwork to weave through the clubs of four falling Hilichurls, and unleashed a wind blade backwards. Red blood splattered high, and the previously mentioned Hilichurls slowly fell to the ground, their heads severed from their necks, rolling onto the ground before dissipating into dust.
At this moment, Ying was like a lawnmower on a grassy field, her silver sword slaughtering the surrounding Hilichurls as if they were mere vegetables.
One, ten, a hundred, as fresh blood spurted with each blow, Ying's speed reached its zenith.
In her eyes, the Hilichurls' movements were like slow motion. As long as she cleared them promptly, she wouldn't sustain any damage. The only minor flaw was that after the Hilichurls turned to dust, the blood that had splattered on her wouldn't disappear with them.
After an unknown amount of time...
Ying felled a few more approaching Hilichurls, then unleashed several large wind blades outwards, creating some distance between herself and them. She finally managed to secure a moment of rest, wiped the blood from her face, and gasped for breath.
Although Hilichurls were weak, when their numbers reached a certain magnitude, their threat was also astonishing. Even though she had maximized her reaction speed, prolonged continuous combat had gradually made her movements unable to keep up with her reflexes, and she had inevitably taken a few hits.
2703/10000
Looking at the seemingly endless progress bar above, Ying couldn't help but offer a wry smile.
This wouldn't do. She was going to run out of strength to swing her sword.
No, how could she fall in the very first stage? Even if she had to die, she had to rescue Pai-mon first before doing so.
Ying gritted her teeth, looked at the Hilichurls that had once again filled the field in the distance, and coldly shouted.
"Chidori Flow!!"
Instantly, wild lightning surged from Ying's body. Countless fine electrical discharges whistled through the bodies of one Hilichurl after another, clearing a circle with Ying at the center.
To maximize the use of her elemental energy, Ying further utilized the Electro element to accelerate her speed, running across the field at lightning speed.
3608/10000
4506/10000
5447/10000
...
After running around the field for a full five laps, Ying finally returned to her starting point. She withdrew her elemental power and looked up at the display screen in the sky.
7230/10000
Ying let out a sigh of relief. Seeing that number made her feel a little better. Then, Ying looked at the Hilichurls still continuously emerging from the teleportation gate and began to ponder seriously.
While this method quickly dealt with the Hilichurls, it also consumed elemental energy at a rapid pace, with recovery lagging far behind. Indiscriminate waste could lead to a significant disadvantage when facing later enemies.
That being said, being overly thrifty was not the correct choice either. After all, the importance of stamina and physical condition was no less than the usage of elemental energy.
If she only used her silver sword and a little Anemo element to deal with these ten thousand Hilichurls, she might not even qualify to face the later enemies. Even if she did, she wouldn't be in good condition.
There were too many things to consider, causing Ying to shake her head in slight distress.
To be honest, she wasn't good at analyzing situations. It not only distracted her but also made her subconsciously doubt whether her previous decisions were correct, and if there were better decisions she hadn't thought of.
But for Pai-mon, even if she wasn't good at it, she had to try her best. No...
She *had* to do it.
With this thought, Ying's eyes became resolute once more.
She couldn't fall... absolutely not...