Solve It with Games If You Can

Shrek Academy, Outer Court.

The morning sun filtered through the mist over Sea God Lake, spilling across the teaching buildings.

As one of the continent's most famous Soul Master Academies, its mornings were always filled with fluctuations of Soul Power.

Bei Bei and Tang Ya walked side by side along the tree-lined path back to the dormitories.

They had played until late last night and should have been exhausted, yet strangely, they were both wide awake now, even feeling as though their bodies were brimming with strength.

Bei Bei in particular.

This student, usually so gentle, carried a subtly different air at the moment.

His steps had become light and quick, a gait honed in Monster Hunter to evade Dragon Charges. His right hand occasionally curled into an empty grip, as though he were holding a blade.

"Bei Bei, are you still thinking about that game?" Tang Ya leaned closer and poked his arm. "Your eyes have looked strange this whole way. You're giving off a lot of killing intent."

Bei Bei snapped back to his senses and smiled, a flicker of lightning flashing through his eyes. "Xiao Ya, I think Boss Lu was right. I used to waste the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul far too much."

He raised his right hand and flexed his fingers.

"I used to know only how to bombard everything with lightning, pursuing wide-area destruction. But after losing my Soul Power last night, I learned something in order to cut through Anjanath's thick hide."

Crackle!

A thin blue-violet arc danced across his fingertips.

Rather than exploding as it normally did, the lightning clung tightly to Bei Bei's skin and raced along it, coating his palm in electricity.

"Concentrate!" Bei Bei said softly. "Focus your power at one point, find the weakness, then erupt!"

It was a technique he had realized while using Dual Blades in Monster Hunter, somewhat like Demon Mode in the game.

Although reality lacked a system to assist him, he could use lightning to stimulate his muscles and nerves, simulating that state of extreme reaction speed.

Just as the two discussed when they could scrape together enough money to return to the internet cafe and challenge Anjanath, a burst of commotion rose from Shrek Square ahead.

"Xu Sanshi! Have you no shame? I already told you I don't like you! Stop following me!"

A cold, angry voice rang out.

Tang Ya's ears perked up, and she instantly came alive. "Huh? That's Nannan's voice! That damn turtle is bothering Nannan again! Bei Bei, quick, there's a show to watch!"

The two hurried around the corner.

In the middle of the square, a tall, dark-skinned youth was shamelessly blocking the path of a beautiful girl.

The girl had long golden hair and long legs. She was Jiang Nannan, a famed beauty of the Outer Court.

The youth blocking her way was Xu Sanshi, one of the Outer Court's Twin Stars alongside Bei Bei.

"Nannan, just accept this grilled fish. I stood in line forever to buy it. It may be cold, but it represents my burning heart..." Xu Sanshi held up a grilled fish he had bought last night, now hard as a rock, and spoke with a fawning expression.

Jiang Nannan's face flushed red with anger. She turned to leave, but Xu Sanshi relied on his nimble movement techniques to block her again.

"Xu Sanshi."

A calm voice cut in.

Xu Sanshi turned around. When he saw Bei Bei, he immediately rolled his eyes and hid the grilled fish behind his back. "Well, if it isn't Young Master Bei. What, here to meddle again?"

Although the two were privately on good terms, they were also rivals, and they always traded barbs whenever they met.

"Nannan said she doesn't want to deal with you. Move aside." Bei Bei spoke lightly, but there was an added sharpness in his tone.

"Heh, what if I don't?" Xu Sanshi had already been in a bad mood today, and his temper flared. "Perfect. My Soul Power has improved recently, and I mastered a new use for Xuan Ming Replacement. Want to spar?"

The surrounding students instantly formed a circle.

"Look, the Twin Stars are fighting again!"

"They fought for half an hour last time without a winner. Who'll win this time?"

"I doubt Bei Bei has much chance. Xu Sanshi's defense is too strong, and Bei Bei's lightning can hardly break through it."

Xu Sanshi grinned, stomped his foot, and dark Soul Power surged forth as three Soul Rings rose beneath him.

A massive black tortoiseshell shield appeared out of thin air, radiating a heavy, oppressive aura.

"Come on, Bei Bei. Let's see whether your Thunderclaw has improved enough to crack my shell!" Xu Sanshi confidently slammed the shield into the ground with a muffled thud.

Before yesterday, Bei Bei would certainly have unleashed his Martial Soul Possession, activated his third soul skill, Thunderclap's Fury, and bombarded him with violent lightning, only to get dragged into a prolonged stalemate.

But today...

Bei Bei stood where he was, staring at the heavy shield.

In his eyes, that shield resembled the tough hide of some monster part.

"The shield is hard, but what about your joints?" Bei Bei muttered.

The Spirit Detection Sharing Huo Yuhao had activated in his mind had already vanished, but its way of thinking—of seeking weaknesses—had remained.

"What did you say?" Xu Sanshi did not hear him clearly.

"I said—"

A trace of red flashed deep within Bei Bei's pupils.

"Your movements are too slow!"

Boom!

Bei Bei did not even release his Martial Soul Possession. He merely dragonized his right arm in an instant.

But this time, the blue-violet lightning flickered with a faint red glow.

It was an overload phenomenon caused by lightning being compressed to an extreme degree and stimulating cellular activity.

Whoosh!

Xu Sanshi's vision blurred.

Bei Bei vanished.

So fast! Xu Sanshi was startled and instinctively raised his shield to protect his front.

But in the next instant, a fierce gust struck from his rear flank.

Bei Bei appeared in Xu Sanshi's blind spot. Rather than using his Thunderclaw to clash head-on with the shield, he turned it into two Sharp lightning blades and accurately slashed at the wrist joint holding the shield.

"Despicable! You're actually not fighting me head-on!"

Xu Sanshi shouted and tried to turn, but Bei Bei was far faster.

If he had never experienced the life-and-death pressure of facing Anjanath, Bei Bei might have hesitated.

But now, every strike he made carried a hunter's decisiveness.

Slash, slash, slash, slash, slash!

Lightning flashed in rapid succession.

Bei Bei used no powerful soul skills. He merely exploited his speed and the sharpness of his dragon claws, relentlessly striking Xu Sanshi's unprotected thighs, wrists, and waist.

Every attack avoided the hard tortoiseshell and targeted the softer flesh.

"Ow! That hurts, that hurts!"

"Damn it, Bei Bei, are you crazy? That's my inner thigh!"

"Not the face! Don't hit my face!"

An unbelievable sight unfolded in the square.

Xu Sanshi, renowned for his defense, was being battered around by Bei Bei like a clumsy punching bag.

His prized Xuan Ming Shield could not keep up with Bei Bei's rhythm at all. Whenever he tried to defend, Bei Bei had already slipped in another direction.

"Th-this movement technique?" Tang Ya stared in disbelief. "This doesn't look like Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track. Why does it look like... that stupid dog doing its Windmill in the game?"

Only ten seconds passed.

Bang!

Bei Bei kicked Xu Sanshi behind the knee, throwing off his balance and forcing him down onto one knee.

A lightning-wreathed dragon claw stopped steadily at his throat.

The entire square fell silent.

Everyone stood with their mouths agape.

"An... an instant defeat?"

"Xu Sanshi was subdued before he could even use a soul skill?"

"When did Senior Bei Bei become this fierce? What was that move just now? It was way too fast!"

Xu Sanshi stared blankly at Bei Bei. His shield clattered to the ground.

"Y-you... what kind of move was that?" Xu Sanshi could not believe it. "Your Soul Power clearly hasn't changed much, so why are you so much faster? And... why did you keep targeting my joints?"

Bei Bei withdrew his dragon claw and let out a long breath.

His muscles ached all over, but he felt exhilarated.

Whenever he had sparred with Xu Sanshi before, that turtle shell had always made him feel sick with frustration.

Today, he had finally held his head high.

Bei Bei straightened his clothes, returned to his usual smile, and looked at Xu Sanshi. "Want to know?"

Xu Sanshi nodded frantically.

As a defense-type Soul Master, what he feared most was exactly this sort of high-agility, high-penetration technique.

If he could learn the principles behind it...

Bei Bei leaned close to Xu Sanshi's ear and lowered his voice. "Because I went somewhere yesterday. There... a person can comprehend the true essence of battle through an ordinary mortal body!"

"What place? Special training from an Inner Court master?" Xu Sanshi asked urgently.

"No!" Bei Bei held up two fingers. "The edge of the Star Dou Great Forest, Origin Internet Cafe! Bring money and come with me this afternoon. Remember to bring plenty of Gold Soul Coins. It isn't cheap there."

With that, Bei Bei straightened up, grabbed Tang Ya, who was still staring blankly, and turned away.

Xu Sanshi was left kneeling there, watching Bei Bei's retreating back as his expression gradually shifted from confusion to excitement.

"Origin Internet Cafe... an ordinary mortal body..."

Xu Sanshi gritted his teeth, picked up the grilled fish from the ground, and viciously took a bite.

"I'm going. I have to go! I'm learning that move too. Next time, I'll grind that pretty boy's face into the ground!"

Elsewhere.

Huo Yuhao stood beneath the freshman dormitory building, clutching his worn bedding.

He had just completed his enrollment procedures.

Although he had gone through a strange adventure yesterday, life had to go on.

"Brother Sky Dream, can we still go to that internet cafe in the future?" Huo Yuhao asked in his mind.

"Go? Of course we're going!" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice trembled with excitement. "Yuhao, didn't you notice? In that game yesterday, my spiritual power could actually be trained through supporting my teammates. It's more useful than sleeping for tens of thousands of years."

"And..." Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's tone turned somewhat lecherous. "That boss named Lu Yuan is unfathomable. If we stick with him, our chances of becoming gods will rise by at least eighty percent! Oh, right, remember to sell grilled fish again tonight. We need to save up for internet fees."

Huo Yuhao touched his flat money pouch and nodded firmly.

"Mm. Sell grilled fish, earn money, go online."

Who could have imagined that the future God of Emotions and master of the Spirit Pagoda would have such a humble first goal in life: saving two Gold Soul Coins to use the internet cafe.

Just then, a youth who appeared to be around his age and was exceptionally handsome approached. She looked arrogantly at Huo Yuhao. "Hey, are you the newcomer? Move aside. A good dog doesn't block the road!"

Huo Yuhao looked up and saw a pair of beautiful pink-blue eyes.

Wang Dong.

According to the original script, what came next should have been a dormitory brawl.

But this time...

Huo Yuhao looked at Wang Dong's rude posture, and for some reason, Anjanath—the one he had headshot countless times in yesterday's game—appeared in his mind.

"That stance..." Huo Yuhao instinctively activated his Spirit Eyes. "Openings everywhere. Her left foot is poorly balanced, and her neck is completely exposed..."

If I had a Light Bowgun, I could send her straight back to the respawn point right now.

Huo Yuhao shook his head and sighed.

In Wang Dong's eyes, that look instantly became provocation.

"What kind of look is that? Looking down on me?" Wang Dong grew angry. "Come out. I want to duel you!"

Huo Yuhao had no choice but to put down his bedding.

"Um... classmate, do people have to pay compensation for fighting? If we do... could we settle this another way?"

"What way?" Wang Dong froze.

Huo Yuhao recalled what Boss Lu Yuan had said—solve it with games if you can, don't use your fists—and cautiously asked:

"How about... we go to the internet cafe and settle it one-on-one?"