Duolin, who was closing the distance, was also somewhat puzzled by this scene.
Using the same moves against an enemy requires a certain level of proficiency; otherwise...
The next moment, Duolin saw [ Howling Pothos's ] raised right hand, which had been raised to defend, transform into...
A small round shield.
This small round shield is indeed very small, so small that its diameter is only slightly larger than the palm of a hand.
However, its smooth surface and raised central design still prove that it is indeed a small round shield.
As [ Howling Pothos ] pushed the small round shield in front of her with both hands, her body arched slightly, ready to withstand the impact.
"Bang!"
The broadsword and the round shield collided, and although [ Howling Pothos ] suffered a great impact in the horizontal direction, she did not retreat a single step.
The impact ended, Duolin's broadsword was deeply embedded in Howling Pothos's round shield.
He casually drew his broadsword, drawing out a small string of blood droplets.
One move, and it's done!
Looking at the [ Howling Pothos ] that refused to retreat an inch, Duolin's face showed an approving look.
Duolin actually used only a quarter of his strength in this blow, but it was enough to make an adult male lose his balance and stagger off the platform.
But the Howling Pothos withstood the blow head-on.
"Okay! It's coming!"
Looking at the resolute Saint before him, Duolin felt for a moment that he wasn't testing the saint, but rather the saint was testing him.
So he completely Incarnation into a hot-blooded idiot from a shonen manga, shouting slogans and unleashing his second downward sword strike.
Duolin was confident in his ability to withstand this sword strike. Even if he used only a quarter of his strength, the round shield, which already had a groove cut into it, would be unable to defend itself.
Just then, [ Howling Pothos ]'s left arm began to wriggle.
"Is he still alive?"
The audience gasped again at just the right moment; they were practically free extras.
A rapid wriggling motion occurred, and [ Howling Pothos ]'s left arm visibly thickened considerably.
Any player with a little experience can confirm that this is not something that Directed Alienation can achieve.
The ability of Directed Alienation does not produce such a significant change in volume.
So what exactly happened?
[ Pond Fish and Old Abyss ] in the crowd revealed a knowing smile; she knew this person very well.
It wasn't until [ Howling Pothos ] blocked the downward vertical slash that the other players finally reacted.
It's Deadwood Vine!
[ Howling Pothos ] had a piece of Deadwood Vine implanted in her left arm beforehand!
Faced with the vertical cleavage that could cut through everything, he chose to allow the Deadwood Vine to multiply rapidly in a short period of time.
At the same time, he raised his left arm diagonally, causing the fleshy new plant tissue to be cut while deflecting the direction of Duolin's slash.
This terrible attack was thus completely neutralized.
The second trick worked!
[ Howling Pothos ] flicked her left hand, and a section of the still-living vine was flung out.
His right hand transformed into a palm-sized fruit knife, carefully cutting away the remaining, tangled plant tissue. Its task was complete; it had to be discarded immediately to prevent it from becoming a hindrance.
Duolin's third strike came quickly, a swift twisting uppercut.
Ed, who was watching from a distance, also understood why the members of the Tree Worship Church did not have the habit of wearing armor.
Compared to knights in the traditional sense, the fighting style of the Tree Worship Church is more agile and swift, with a considerable number of varied moves.
For this style, armor would only reduce their agility; instead, a simple robe would keep them warm while concealing their hand movements to prevent them from being read, allowing them to launch surprise attacks on the enemy.
Having figured out the logic, Ed clapped his hands gently.
What a wonderful martial arts story set in another world!
As expected, the Howling Pothos on the platform below blocked the attack.
Faced with the fierce upward thrust, [ Howling Pothos ] used her extraordinary reflexes to deflect the wooden sword's trajectory with her fruit knife, causing it to only pierce her skin without causing much damage.
And Duolin kept his word. He sheathed his broadsword, took two steps back, and shouted even more excitedly than [ Howling Pothos ]:
"Pass!"
"Ooo...
A cheer erupted below the platform; the players never disappoint when it comes to showing their support, with just over thirty people creating the atmosphere of three thousand.
Even the guards standing beside the weapons rack, their chins propped up by shovels, were filled with excitement.
Duolin is their captain, and even though he's holding back, his moves are still incredibly skillful.
They knew they couldn't withstand those three moves when they were as weak as [ Howling Pothos ].
In other words, if everyone's skill level is on par, then [ Howling Pothos ] can even use his skills to prevent these guards who have trained for over a decade from gaining any advantage!
Such terrifying talent...
The group exchanged glances, determined to find out exactly what had happened from their captain that night.
However, the most composed and calm person in the entire arena, [ Howling Pothos ], spoke up at this moment:
"Aren't there two more moves left?"
The room fell silent upon hearing this.
Players then remembered that Duolin originally had a tiered reward system: three moves to qualify and five moves to receive a dagger.
However, the two pure-hearted idiots, [ Lion Hidden in the Eyes ] and [ Great Wei Boxing Champion ], lost so quickly that they mistook the passing grade for a perfect score.
Now that top students have arrived, they certainly won't stop at just passing.
"Good!"
Duolin laughed like a rampant villain.
"As you wish, shall we switch to challenge mode for the last two moves?"
[ Howling Pothos ] thought for a moment, feeling that she had already experienced the basic sword skills, and then nodded and said:
Barehanded.
The next moment, Duolin's half-clenched right fist swung out like a meteor hammer.
Ed was high up, could clearly see that Duolin had obviously Alienation his right arm to a certain extent, making it much more flexible than normal.
As he swung rapidly, Duolin's blood was drawn to his palms due to the centrifugal effect.
With his deliberate indulgence, his right hand has now become indistinguishable from one wearing a boxing glove.
An extraordinary hook punch is coming.
You call this bare-handed?!
At this moment, [ Howling Pothos ] felt like he had been tricked.
But he is not without a solution.
Recalling the boxing match videos he had seen in the real world, [ Howling Pothos ] quickly crouched down, narrowly dodging the hook punch.
His squatting speed was much faster than that of a normal person, which even made Duolin's eyes flash with a strange light.
The next instant, a foot loomed larger and larger in [ Howling Pothos's ] field of vision.
Damn, it's a newborn baby, and it even has a combo!
Cursing under his breath, [ Howling Pothos ], having nowhere to hide, steeled himself, leaned back, and pushed off the ground with both feet, performing a backward jump shot like a fully charged spring.
Duolin's kick continued forward, grazing the chin of [ Howling Pothos ], and ultimately missed its target with a whoosh.
Fifth move, passed!
At this moment, [ Howling Pothos ] bent its knees backward, its entire body close to the ground in a posture that completely defied the laws of mechanics, yet without making contact with it.
This is almost a complete replica of the famous scene in the movie "The Matrix" where the protagonist leans back to dodge bullets.