Chapter 325 - You Can Do That With Fireball?
“Is that possible?” Meng Qi sounded doubtful when he heard Han Wu’s plan.
Han Wu wanted him to use both Golden Bell and Iron Shirt to stop Lu Dazhuang’s wild rolling. Meng Qi stared at the massive ball of flesh barreling toward them and felt his stomach knot. He feared he would end up flattened like paper instead.
“Don’t worry. Your Golden Bell’s Sonorous Chime will be the key to bringing him down. And don’t forget, you have Reflect,” Han Wu reassured him.
Meng Qi grumbled, “Fine, I’ll trust you this once. If this fails, I’m smacking your head.”
Han Wu didn’t flinch. If Meng Qi failed, he would already be crushed into paste and far beyond the ability to smack anyone. If Meng Qi succeeded, victory would sweep away any thought of punishment.
Han Wu gave Leng Ning her orders as well. She would take on the Water senior, meeting his water blades with icicles. Her task was to keep him from pressing the attack and strike back whenever she could.
Han Wu’s own role was the easiest. He only needed to distract the earth mage. Once they agreed on their targets, the three moved as one.
Meng Qi felt his nerves tighten when he activated both Golden Bell and Iron Shirt to meet Lu Dazhuang’s rampage. The instant they collided, the Golden Bell released the loudest chime it had ever produced.
The sound thundered through the arena and resonated inside Lu Dazhuang’s massive body. The force overwhelmed him, and he fainted. Meng Qi took a heavy hit as well, but Iron Shirt’s Redirection steadied him and kept him conscious. Wasting no time, he hurried to push the unconscious Lu Dazhuang out of the arena.
The earth mage tried to intercept Meng Qi, but Han Wu had him tied down. The swordsman fared no better, caught under Leng Ning’s relentless storm of icicles.
With no one left to bar his path, Meng Qi shoved Lu Dazhuang off the arena. The match shifted into a three-on-two. He drew a quick breath, then rushed to Leng Ning’s side. By taking the enemy’s attacks himself, he freed her to strike without restraint, and she soon froze the swordsman solid.
Meanwhile, Han Wu put on a show, determined to rack up more Assists. He molded his Fireball into shifting shapes with effortless control, then refined it into streams of blazing bullets. Though each carried less force, he could fire them in rapid succession. To heighten the effect, he even mimicked the crack of bullets tearing through the air. The bullets did little damage, yet they looked dangerous and impressive.
The students stared in awe, unable to believe Fireball could be wielded in such a way.
On the other hand, the teachers frowned at the display.
“Why waste time and energy on such hollow theatrics? He’s throwing away his potential in close-quarters combat.”
“Mr. Jiang, I agree. He has talent, but he spends it on trifles. A shame, really.”
The earth mage blocked Han Wu’s fire bullets with earthen walls. Unfazed, Han Wu changed tactics. He condensed a Fireball along his arm and charged. When the earth mage raised more walls to stop him, Han Wu smashed through with a kick, slammed him to the ground, and pinned him there with one leg. Instead of finishing him, Han Wu planted a knee on his chest and kept up his flamboyant show.
Under the watchful eyes of the teachers, Han Wu transformed his Fireball. He molded it into a snarling jack-o-lantern. This change did not stem from a new Skill but from his strong mental focus, forcibly shaping the Fireball with sheer will. Its destructive power remained unchanged, but the form alone was enough to mesmerize the students.
None of them had imagined Fireballs could take on such playful, creative forms. Even the teachers had never considered that their shape could be altered in this way, though their experience allowed them to partially grasp what was happening.
“I can’t believe Han Wu’s mental state and imagination are that strong,” one teacher murmured. “That’s a hidden strength beyond the seven potentials. If he can control Fireballs at this level, he has a very bright future ahead.”
“But isn’t it a waste to use it just to change the shape? Such talent, squandered,” another remarked.
The vice-principal’s face darkened as he watched. “Who is Han Wu’s homeroom teacher? How did you allow your student to waste his skills on something so trivial?!”
Han Wu’s homeroom teacher received the blame without warning. He had never realized Han Wu’s true potential. Had he known, he would never have allowed Luo Ke to bully him for so long.
In the arena, Han Wu continued to flaunt his abilities. He intended to dazzle everyone. He tossed the jack-o-lantern Fireball aside and molded another into a blazing bird, complete with a piercing cry.
The students gawked.
Was that really a Fireball? They would have sooner believed it was a summoning Skill. No one had ever seen a Fireball take the shape of a bird. This was the first time in their lives they had witnessed Fireballs adopt such diverse, imaginative forms.
Han Wu tossed the bird into the air. It hovered for a moment before vanishing into nothingness. He then condensed a massive Fireball and shaped it into a dragon’s head. He had planned to summon a full fiery dragon, but the Skill’s limitations forced him to settle for just the head.
The crowd froze at the sight. Even the more perceptive teachers could sense that the Fireball carried a fragment of a dragon’s pride.
The earth mage pinned beneath Han Wu’s grasp was on the verge of tears. Han Wu’s ever-changing Fireballs were mesmerizing, yet there he was, completely at the mercy of Han Wu. The embarrassment was unbearable!
“Hey... could you please stop? Just defeat me and stop showing off,” he pleaded, his voice breaking.
Satisfied that his display had dazzled enough, Han Wu ended the performance. He flung the dragon head at the earth mage, who immediately lost consciousness. Han Wu’s team claimed victory and secured a spot among the top eight strongest teams.
His performance also earned him hundreds of Assists in a single stroke. Upon reaching Level 10, his Life Shield gained a new effect called Return, which reflected any projectile back at its caster.
Han Wu had to admit that the Life Shield was strong. With this new effect, he no longer had to worry about attacks from a distance.