(Huh? Why did I suddenly feel like someone was cursing me?)
Having decided on the route ahead, Flame Willow embarked on a journey of slaughter.
Floor thirteen: an entire floor of Honkai Beasts. Burned.
Floor fourteen: an entire floor of Imaginary Corpses. First burn the bodies, then burn the cores.
Floor fifteen: Griseo's two paintings. Burn—
"Hey, hey, hey, you really can't burn those!" Xia Ling hurriedly stopped her.
"You really can't. I have a feeling that if you burn them, they'll turn into some white-stockinged, red-eyed, long-legged Corruption."
(I feel like they're talking about something not very good, and they mentioned the Herrscher of Corruption? I'm so curious. When we meet later, I have to make Little Xia Ling explain it properly to me.)
Flame Willow withdrew her flames and chose to use her own power to completely evaporate the energy within the paint.
After a frenzied burst of power, the strength within the two "studies" was finally exhausted, leaving them to dissolve into motes of light.
Imaginary Corpses Were Bricks
After clearing three more nodes, the negative buffs on Flame Willow's status panel were finally removed.
The sixteenth node was another fixed pre-battle supply stop. This time, however, Flame Willow's luck was not particularly good, and she did not encounter the kitty guarding the shop.
Though it made no difference whether the kitty was there or not. After all, surely no one would actually rob the kitty's shop, right?
After browsing through the shop, Flame Willow finally set her sights on two collectibles.
Radiant Casimir and the Miniature Stage Model.
Radiant Casimir: For 6 seconds after triggering a dodge, increases attack by 70%.
Normally, this thing was pretty useless unless used by a specific operator. Otherwise, it was difficult for it to have much effect.
Even with the Dancer's Bracelet giving Flame Willow 10% physical and Arts dodge, it could only be considered better than nothing.
But one should not forget that Flame Willow had already prepared to face Elysia in the final stage of this run: the Herrscher Trial.
Elysia's attack frequency in the Elysian Realm trial was no exaggeration to describe as arrows raining down like a storm.
She could even summon several Crystal Wedges to fight alongside her, further increasing the number of projectiles.
As for Flame Willow, she was not a speed-type fighter to begin with. Against Elysia's barrage, she would most likely have to tank the hits and compete in recovery speed.
So, with enough incoming attacks, even a 10% dodge chance would trigger frequently enough. By the same logic, Radiant Casimir would effectively become a permanent buff.
The other collectible, the Miniature Stage Model, increased deployment cost by 20 in the game.
In a trial without deployment costs, however, its effect had been changed into a simple and brutal doubling of initial energy.
In other words, it could directly double Flame Willow's Honkai Energy reserves.
Though that extra bar could not be restored, it was still an absolutely top-tier effect for short-term combat.
With these two collectibles, Flame Willow was filled with determination.
Standing before the red Perilous Enemy, Flame Willow and Xia Ling were shown the introduction for the next node.
Perilous Enemy · Imaginary Corpse—Mysticism
A mysterious entity that once appeared on the lunar surface within a World Bubble, suspected to be a creation of the Tree of Imaginary. It possessed a body and attack methods distinctly resembling those of Artiodactyla, had a core capable of splitting apart, and would fall into a rage when awakened from slumber.
"So the Imaginary Corpse series of monsters is basically like a brick. You move it wherever it's needed." Seeing the familiar description, Xia Ling could not help but complain. "This thing first appeared in a World Bubble on the moon. Strictly speaking, it was even within the Sea of Quantum. Who knows why such an obviously Imaginary Construct showed up there."
(Ah, now that you mention it, these kinds of Imaginary monsters didn't seem uncommon in the Previous Civilization either. Is this some sort of strange ecological phenomenon? Hmm... When I get back, I'll ask Mobius about it~)
The moment she entered the seventeenth node, four enormous stone walls rose from the ground. At the same time, clouds of red and yellow mist converged at the center, forming a massive Imaginary Core.
Before Flame Willow could lay a hand on the core, it flashed and transformed into a gigantic Imaginary bull, charging straight at her without a word.
"So violent?" Flame Willow jumped back in fright, dodging the charge. Then she unleashed her full firepower, and a terrifying barrage of flames howled toward the Imaginary Corpse before it could recover.
Although this monster appeared to have a full eighteen health bars in the game, its first phase was actually not difficult at all. As the saying went, more health bars did not mean more health. In the game, if one had not reached the second phase after half a minute, they had definitely taken too few Sigils.
The same was true in the Elysian Realm trial. Under Xia Ling's saturation bombardment, the defensive shell formed of Imaginary energy was quickly shattered, and the Imaginary Corpse likewise collapsed.
Of course, its collapse was only temporary. Before long, the Imaginary Corpse shook its head and got back up, entering a berserk state at the same time.
In the game, this phase required luring the Imaginary Corpse into crashing into Honkai Energy Crystals to enrage it, then successfully seeing through its attack to break its massive damage reduction. The process was quite complicated, and without checking the skills, one could easily spend ages attacking through its damage reduction.
But before Flame Willow, an experienced veteran player, the entire process was second nature.
After easily guiding the Imaginary Corpse, like a matador, into smashing two Honkai Energy Crystals, its rage meter filled completely. It began gathering energy and bracing itself in place.
Such a buildup was obviously of little use against Flame Willow. Seeing the Imaginary energy on the Imaginary Corpse's surface condense into a golden yellow, Flame Willow decisively shaped her flames into a spear and hurled it out, striking the monster's weak point hard and sending it into a weakened state once more.
(Huh? Little Xia Ling seems very familiar with this monster's weak points. Judging by how she handles it, she clearly doesn't look like it's her first time encountering this kind of monster.)
(She really is getting more and more mysterious. She has successfully piqued Miss Fairy's curiosity~)
(Sigh, if only I could personally test Little Xia Ling's combat ability someday. Just watching through a screen doesn't reveal anything at all.)
While Elysia was still considering how to learn more about Xia Ling's strength, Flame Willow had already successfully pushed the Imaginary Corpse into its final phase.
With a roar, the Imaginary Core flew out from the Imaginary Corpse's body, broke apart in midair, and split into eight enormous high-energy starstones scattered around it.
This was also the monster's final mechanic-based skill. If the eight starstones could not be destroyed within a short period of time, the Imaginary Corpse's massive screen-clearing damage would wipe them out.
But this was no difficult task for Flame Willow either.
As everyone knew, Flame Willow's third skill, Life Ember, was an area attack that hit two targets and triggered chain explosions.
Though using skill-like techniques required far more Honkai Energy than ordinary applications of her power, one should not forget that the Miniature Stage Model had also given Flame Willow nearly double her Honkai Energy reserves.
Soon, amid the chain explosions of the high-energy starstones, the Imaginary Corpse's health was rapidly emptied, and it dissolved into motes of light.
"Now then..." Looking at the twelve Sigil doors that appeared before her, Flame Willow spoke through the channel. "Get ready for support. Come over and see Elysia already!"
"Coming!" Xia Ling excitedly jumped down from the sofa, looking eager to give it a try.
(Hm? Does Miss Fairy have a role too?)
Watching Flame Willow stand before the portal representing her True Self Sigil, Elysia widened her eyes.
Elysia, Bad!
While Elysia was still surprised, she suddenly felt the data composing this body, including the sliver of consciousness she had attached to it, being rapidly transferred into another body that had already been prepared.
When Elysia's consciousness took control of this new body again, she discovered that she seemed to have been transferred somewhere that looked very familiar.
"This is... the Elysian Realm trial that Little Xia Ling and the others were experiencing just now?"
Although the environment was extremely similar to the Elysian Realm, Elysia immediately recognized that this was not the Elysian Realm she knew.
"So that's how it is." Elysia instantly understood the situation.
Apparently, too lazy to copy another set of Elysia's data, the system had directly taken the Elysia in the reception room for some "Material Reuse." After setting up a Combat Module and Combat Voice Pack for this body, it had directly transformed their Mascot Girl Elysia into Elysian Realm boss Elysia.
"Well... not only can I not speak, I can't even switch between the reception room voice lines and the combat voice pack. Isn't your system way too lazy?"
Elysia puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction, then began to sense the power within her body.
There was nothing she could do about being unable to communicate. Rather than keep trying, she might as well help Little Xia Ling complete a satisfying trial first.
The moment she drew the bow the system had manifested for her, Elysia saw a familiar portal slowly opening directly in front of her.
Flame Willow poked her head out of the portal, then happened to lock eyes with Elysia, who had turned toward it.
"Uh..."
Feeling a little awkward, Flame Willow hurriedly slipped inside. Without even summoning Xia Ling for support, she immediately assumed a combat stance.
There was no helping it. Even against a system simulation of Elysia, Flame Willow did not dare be careless.
Then Flame Willow discovered that the Elysia before her did not seem to be doing anything.
Elysia: o(*≧▽≦)ツ
"I think Elysia means for you to summon your support first?" Xia Ling said through the channel, somewhat uncertainly.
Elysia: (*＾-＾*)
"As expected of Elysia. She is actually waiting until I'm fully prepared before fighting."
Flame Willow hurriedly activated support. As a flash of light passed by, Xia Ling appeared in the arena as well.
"Say, since this Elysia seems friendly just like the real one, can we just count this as a pass?"
Xia Ling asked tentatively.
Elysia: (￣△￣;)
"Fine, looks like we can't." Xia Ling flashed away into the distance. "Go for it, Flame Willow. You're in charge of tanking."
"Could you stop making it sound like you're the one doing the damage?" Flame Willow formed a weapon with a speechless look.
Seeing that the two had finally finished preparing, Elysia activated her voice pack and spoke the line that marked the beginning of battle.
"In a sense, could this count as... a date?"
What followed her words was a crystal arrow overflowing with Honkai Energy. When it lightly struck the ground, it exploded into a cluster of crystal flower seeds.
Then, arrows surged toward Flame Willow like a raging storm.
Faced with Elysia's endless variety of attacks, neither tanking them nor dodging them was particularly realistic. Flame Willow swept her spear, sending a wave of fire crashing into the arrows. At the same time, Xia Ling's bullets precisely passed through gaps in the flames and flew toward Elysia.
"Mm, as expected, Little Xia Ling and Flame Willow coordinate just like two hands. There is practically no delay at all."
Elysia naturally caught the bullets passing through the fire waves with ease. However, she made no attempt to dodge, instead taking the Honkai Energy bullet head-on.
After testing things with that first arrow, Elysia had roughly grasped this body's abilities.
Its Honkai Energy reserves were extraordinarily high. Given this body's output capacity, she could practically never use it all up. It was also very sturdy; attacks like Xia Ling's posed almost no threat.
As for its weakness, just as Elysia had demonstrated earlier, this body's movements were extremely sluggish compared to its offensive power. Its methods of attack were also very limited. Even if Elysia herself could react in time, she could not control the body to evade.
In some ways, it was rather similar to Flame Willow's current predicament.
"Alright, that's enough~"
As though retaliating for Xia Ling's earlier attack, Elysia drew her bow and began charging it. Brilliant pink light gathered upon the arrow.
Amid swirling pink radiance and crystal fragments, a Crystal Wedge descended from the sky and landed beside Xia Ling.
"I need to deal with this first. We can't let her gather three and use her ultimate!" Xia Ling called out, then immediately changed direction, swinging her scythe blade toward the Crystal Wedge that was continuously firing crystal arrows.
Seizing the opening while Elysia had been charging to summon the wedge, Flame Willow immediately rushed forward, her flaming spear already swinging toward Elysia.
Yet to her surprise, Elysia did not seem caught off guard at all. That sweet smile remained on her face.
"Got you~"
The crystal flower seeds that had sprouted from the ground suddenly exploded, transforming into a pink barrier that enveloped Flame Willow.
However, such a simple attack could not fully trap Flame Willow. As her power unfolded within her, three blazing red fireballs rose up, spinning rapidly around her with terrifying Honkai Energy and breaking through the barrier.
That was right: Flame Willow's second skill, Life and Death Cycle.
"Sigh, as expected, this level of power can't restrain Little Flame Willow. This body's output restrictions are simply too rigid."
Elysia sighed inwardly and decided to change her approach.
Elysia jumped back, dodging Flame Willow's slash, then assumed the same charging stance as before.
"Just keep attacking! I've already cleared one Crystal Wedge."
Without needing Xia Ling to say more, Flame Willow had already arrived before Elysia with the three fireballs generated by Life and Death Cycle. Terrifying flames followed close behind.
At this point, Elysia's Crystal Wedges had already finished being summoned. Yet she did not choose to try dodging the attack. Instead, she stood her ground and took Flame Willow's flames head-on, then began charging again.
"Tw-two in a row?"
Flame Willow did not think any further. Crimson flames, carrying explosions produced by activated Honkai Energy, struck Elysia's Honkai Energy barrier in a ceaseless barrage.
Elysia: qwq
"If you keep hitting me, I'll cry, you know~"
"Ugh, I suddenly can't bear to hit her."
"Flame Willow, don't let Elysia's beauty blind you!"
Taking advantage of their banter, Elysia revealed a small, mischievous smile and raised her bow for the third time.
Before you continue