The players stirred slightly, whispering amongst themselves.
"I haven't seen any other story characters above level 60 yet."
"Still extremely deadly, the danger level hasn't changed, but was he already over level 60 before? It doesn't seem like it."
"According to his deeds, Black Phantom wasn't strong at first, but he suddenly grew up, became the mastermind behind the scenes, and crushed the Germinal. That's what makes the protagonist of the story special."
"Black Phantom's combat strength is definitely BOSS Grade SS, but I don't know where he ranks on Planet Aquamarine Star."
Han Xiao has always left a strong impression on players, but his actual combat strength has always been a mystery. Players have been curious whenever they occasionally see Han Xiao's combat videos during their growth. Now that they have reached the maximum level, they still cannot see his specific attributes. However, Han Xiao is about to demonstrate his combat strength against professional players, where the gap between him and the players will be clearly visible. This has reignited everyone's curiosity, making them eager to see what he has to offer.
"Holding it for thirty seconds shouldn't be too hard, right?"
The vast majority of players, including those participating in the selection process, shared this view. Although Han Xiao's level was unknown, based on previous battle recordings and the fact that he was a character from version 1.0, the conclusion was:
Han Xiao is strong, but not excessively so. The gap between him and the players has definitely narrowed considerably since the beginning. Keep in mind, they are players, and they level up very quickly.
The first contestant selected for the test, whose ID was "Fallen Leaves," stepped forward confidently.
The onlookers immediately dispersed, clearing a space. Fighting in the main city would normally weaken faction relations, but since Han Xiao had chosen this place, there was definitely no problem.
Pairs of eyes were fixed intently on the field, holding their breath in anticipation.
"It's started," Han Xiao reminded them.
The Fallen Leaves immediately assumed their positions, ready for battle.
Buzz--
Four Sonic Attack Sphere were launched instantly, flying in a dazzling, crisscrossing pattern. The configuration consisted of two penetrating balls, one vibrating ball, and one probing ball. The probing ball expanded the amplification field, the vibrating ball controlled the Fallen Leaves, and the two penetrating balls simultaneously released sonic waves to penetrate.
A piercing popping sound rang out!
The Fallen Leaves ' health plummeted instantly, and they were stunned and frozen in place.
Bang bang bang!
Suddenly, six small, pre-set trap emplacements emerged from the surrounding open space, firing rapidly. Shell casings rained down on the ground with a clattering sound. The rate of fire was extremely fast, and the barrage of bullets hit its mark every time. The bullets flew backward, landing on the ground amidst Fallen Leaves, and were relentlessly bombarded by the continuous barrage of bullets.
Fallen Leaves's body shimmered with powerful light as he used several skills, but he was pinned down by the barrage of bullets and couldn't even stand up. The Sonic Attack Sphere attacked from the side, and various negative statuses such as dizziness and serious injury appeared on the screen, rendering him unable to move.
His health plummeted to the brink of death in the blink of an eye, Rainstorm- like onslaught suddenly ceased, as if it had never happened. The scene became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
"You failed the test." Han Xiao said calmly.
The Fallen Leaves was stunned; before he could even process what had happened, it was all over.
Everyone gaped, their faces filled with shock.
Only about five seconds had passed! A max-level professional player was completely helpless and almost got killed instantly!
They couldn't pull off any impressive plays; they were completely outmatched.
Their combat power is completely overwhelming!
What shocked the players the most was that Han Xiao maintained the same posture the entire time, standing still without moving!
"Are the Mechanic Class really that strong? Are we really playing the same class?!"
"How can you control these weapons if you haven't even moved them?"
"His combat power is way too outrageous for version 1.0. Could it be that Planet Aquamarine can no longer contain him, so he's heading to interstellar space?"
"The previous recordings show that Black Phantom has many more fighting techniques; he hasn't even used his full strength yet!"
"The damage is ridiculously high. If we were to fight this boss, I don't know if a 50-man raid would be enough to kill it..."
The same question surfaced in the players' minds for the second time, but their feelings were completely different.
--What level is Black Phantom?!
From the very beginning of the open beta, players encountered Han Xiao during their newbie phase. They thought that after leveling up so many times, the gap between them and Black Phantom should have narrowed. However, they ended up discovering... Han Xiao is still Han Xiao!!
Turning his head and seeing the player's stunned expression, Han Xiao knew he had achieved the desired effect, refreshing the player's impression of him and preventing the player from getting arrogant and thinking that he couldn't handle a knife.
Although the player is at the maximum level, their specializations, attributes, and skills are too rare; simply put, they lack template bonuses. Master Han is currently level 70, stuck at the job change requirement, and hasn't chosen a secondary profession yet. However, crossing the level 60 watershed is equivalent to a version difference in strength. With the BOSS template, his specializations, skills, strength, and mechanical power are boosted by three to four times, resulting in damage output that is unbelievable to other players.
A level 60 player has an average of over 3,000 HP and very average resistances, making them too fragile for him.
Furthermore, Han Xiao's Sonic Attack Sphere has been upgraded to purple quality, boasting high attack power. The Sonic Attack Sphere itself was a very rare piece of equipment in version 1.0, featuring an independent tactical system with high damage and strong crowd control.
The professional player's expression froze.
Li Ge opened his mouth. He thought it would take a long time, but he realized he was wrong. Black Phantom eliminated candidates as quickly as Loneliness!
The participants were no longer relaxed; they were on high alert. When they heard Han Xiao point to the next person, a wave of tension washed over them.
The test continued, and the contestants were extremely cautious, engaging in close combat and moving around, not daring to confront Han Xiao head-on. Once Han Xiao's attacks got on them, no one could withstand it for ten seconds. They all adopted a sneaky approach, hoping to stall for the remaining thirty seconds.
More and more people gathered around, eating their hands, and some even posted videos of the incident on forums.
Having grown accustomed to the players' dazzling performances, the sight of professional players who were so high-spirited and popular just a few days ago being utterly humiliated and thoroughly defeated left the players astonished, and then a sense of novelty set in.
When will we see professional gamers lining up to be humiliated? It's so exciting to see top players getting all sorts of creative abuse; more and more people are paying attention and enjoying it.
Han Xiao's strength was witnessed by many players, and the various posts sparked heated discussions, debating his abilities. The happiest were the Mechanic Class players, who had been in low spirits due to their poor Mechanic Class in the league, but Han Xiao Han Xiao new hope to the Mechanic Class!
We've grown so strong! You're the lighthouse illuminating our path!
Han Xiao created a hot topic, and players found amusement in it, turning the serious selection process into something unserious. However, only celebrities can enjoy this kind of treatment. The silly players had a lot of fun, and the creativity of the masses is boundless. Players' imaginations have no limits, and all sorts of outrageous titles have emerged.
"Black Phantom: If you're a man, last thirty seconds!"
"Shocking! A professional gamer who stays up all night all year can't even last 30 seconds!"
"How to last 30 seconds? Professional athletes have some tricks!"
When it comes to causing trouble, players are professionals!
"Thirty seconds" has become a meme, with "second" being mocked as a unit of measurement for the combat power of professional players. The very few players who pass the test are solemnly praised and called the legendary "thirty-second warriors".
Han Xiao didn't stop the selection process until evening and went back to rest. After he left, the players who had watched the excitement for most of the day gradually dispersed. The mission deadline was five days, and today was only the first day. The remaining contestants were preoccupied and went back to think about their tactics in advance.
Han Xiao returned outside and was about to open the door when he suddenly stopped, remembering something. He then went to the room of Frenzied Saber and the others.
Pushing open the door, Han Xiao entered. The four members of the Frenzied Saber were chatting and joking in the room. Upon seeing Han Xiao enter, they immediately stood up, their faces full of curiosity.
Black Phantom don't usually come looking for them; they only appear when they're given a quest or a reward.
Recalling the events of the morning, the four of them had a vague idea, and a look of anticipation appeared on their faces.
As followers of the Black Phantom, they have always enjoyed special treatment; could it be that this time...?
Han Xiao chuckled and said, "You are all my friends. I am about to leave this planet for a wider world. I'm giving you a choice: are you willing to come with me?"
Look at this treatment!!
The others only knew from the mission description that he was going to interstellar space, but Han Xiao told them directly, without hiding anything from them. They even had the qualification to skip the test! How humane!
"I do!" Frenzied Saber Blade immediately replied, his face beaming with excitement.