"The contest this time seems different compared to the previous meet." Listening to the female host's explanation, his eyes lit up.
Previous spirit sword exchanges just included showing individual sword skills and tracing patterns… as well as proficiency in swordsmanship which could be considered as just pretty boring. This event, however, would be a team based event, thereby doing away from the judging panel and replacing it with the comprehensive evaluation system. The scores, then, would be more fair and unbiased.
Headmaster Jian smiled faintly. "The contests' system, this time 'round was presented by General Ying and our two schools were assigned to implement it."
"Uh… what this female host said was a little confusing… can someone explain in simpler terms?"
"Bro… the competition this time is like a six v six MOT (multiplayer online tournament) game. There are three lanes and each lane has a turret; an outer turret, an inner outer and a high turret respectively. The students are free to choose a lane to follow and subsequently have to defend the corresponding turret while they try to destroy a large emerald in the enemy's base. After entering the game, students are free to choose one functional system skill; the only options are teleport, ignite, healing and flash skills… this is why it would be more interesting."
Headmaster Jian added, "After the students' entering, their spiritual swords will be converted into digital data in which they will be able to purchase their swords for coins via the item shop. The amount of coins needed will be distributed, and these estimated values would correspond to how much the sword costs."
"There are two things the students need to do; first and foremost, increase their experience by growing steadily through defeating goblins and monsters. After data conversion, the students' fighting strength will be divided into twenty parts of twenty levels. With each level upgrade, five percent of their true strength will be unleashed. Completing all the levels means their true, original strength will be released. Secondly, they need to collect as many game coins as possible in the short period and exchange them for magic artifacts in order to build their individual spirit swords."
"Amazing!" Secretary Li Hong said, his eyes filled with excitement. "The upgrade method is remarkable, and interesting! And building their sword spirits allows them to improve their rapport. But how are the values measured?"
"Of course, in order to ensure fairness, the stronger the sword, the higher the value. For example, Misaki's sword, Stardust Sunder, has already formed a sword spirit, therefore her value would be tremendously high. 7,000 game coins."
…
While some of the leaders were whispering to one another, the female host exclaimed, "Alright! That clears the rules! Let the game begin! Now, everyone into the cultivator's crevice!"
The current arrays were advanced and were all voice-activated. Before the array had been activated, her voice was already in the micro system. Therefore, after she gave the command, a blueish, orange light immediately appeared on the sports field.
Bzz— !
Then a blue beam of light launched out of the sky, connecting the earth and the horizon.
All students of No. 90 High School were the first to step into the beam of light, and to the naked eye, it looked like they dissolved into the light.
"What are you guys waiting for?! Let's go!" Zunhao gnashed his teeth, and disappeared into the light with, Baiye, Xie Zhenyu, Yixuan, Ji Mingze and Ji Tianqi.
The students from the two schools had entered the virtual space one after another; whatever happened next could only be seen on large broadcasting TV's. And this match was broadcasted in all of Qinghai!
The map that had been set this time was rigorously "referencing" this battle design, of a common six on six MOT game. Next to the orange and yellow base stood a stone tablet inscribed the words "Cultivator's Crevice." The crystal towers, high turrets, the bases and even the monsters in the jungle had been reconstructed…
By killing both goblins sent out by the bases every thirty seconds and the constantly regenerating monsters on the map, the corresponding number of game coins was obtained to build individual magic weapons. But the ultimate way to achieve victory was to destroy the enemy's base.
Although Xero rarely played games, he understood some of the basics of this type of game. Besides combat, teams had to pay attention to how they could process. The key was to build the most formidable magic weapon as early as possible.
But because this was the spirit sword exchange, they realised apart from the individual spirit swords they carried, which had been converted into data, there were almost no other offensive magic weapons in the in-game shop. Moreover, everyone's spirit sword was bound to their respective owners and couldn't be bought by someone else.
Additionally, the rest of the magic weapons were most likely functional or defensive types... this all had been decided by General Ying personally, so no one knew what the attributes were. Students would have to wing it completely.
"What the... So many things, wouldn't this take us ages to read?"
"What the hell? Why is my sword Ethereal Vow so cheap! Just 745?! There's something wrong with the systems analysis!"
After the group from No. 89 High arrived in the virtual space, it had taken them a whole five minutes to discuss the lanes each of them would take, and another ten minutes to browse through the items in the shop...
Though with the No. 90 group, these group of people worked together much more harmoniously...
Sometimes one person making all the decisions could save a whole lot of time.
"So that's how we'll do it! I'll take the top, and Classmate Blossom Misaki will take the top lane. Xinyan and Lianhua will head to the jungle and Han Jue and Classmate Xero are in charge of the duo lane." Each person had one thousand coins to begin with. King Jie, this fatass gaming nerd who was a veteran games specialist, arbitrarily decided which lane one would be, and purchased the rookie sword with "ignite" skill.
[Name: Rookie Sword]
[Type: Normal]
[Quality: Somewhat normal]
[ATK: 10]
(Description: A common type sword. Ideal for travel.)
Misaki found her own sword, Stardust Sunder, and was taken aback as the sword costed 7,000 game coins. She then hurriedly chose the same elements as Zhen Jie and went out to begin farming 4 money. Each spirit sword was a finished item, which would take quite a long time to build. Misaki felt that this was the key to their victory.
Lianhua and Xinyan, who had chosen the jungle lane, selected a rookie hunting knife which sold for three hundred and fifty game coins. A small hunting knife had a higher ATK (attack stat) than a blank sword and had some HP (health regeneration) effect. In the whole game, apart from the spirit sword, this was the only prop with an ATK that could be released, otherwise, it would take long to kill that evil wolf Tiangou with just a blank sword.
"Good luck everyone! Don't f**k this up!"
"Yeah... We should make sure to have fun too..."
After they both chose their items, they followed Misaki and walked out of the base.
[Name: Rookie Hunting Knife]
[Type: Weapon]
[Quality: General]
[ATK: 39]
[Gold Coins: 350]
[Description: Only large monsters kills receive damage bonus and 10% HP Effect. A critical magic weapon for building the "The Vagabond's Blade." Once the "The Vagabond's Blade" has been built, it can easily kill monsters and turn them into pork or beef. The protein can be shared with teammates to further boost HP.]
Now, only Xero and Han Jue were left.
A duo lane usually consisted of a support and defense; of course, Xero didn't have to think about it before he selected support, since it was the most unassuming role.
In the item shop, Xero saw that Han Jue's sword, Knight Tiger, was priced at 3,900 coins. Looking at the data, it was quite powerful.
Han Jue also picked a blank sword and walked outside, "Xero! Be quick, I need support with defense y'know!"
The reason he hadn't left yet, was because he was looking for Kongji in the item shop.
He had been afraid to show off in public, in midst that Kongji would go on a rampage halfway through. But now that the contest had converted him into game data, Xero wanted to see how much Kongji was worth.
There were over two thousand swords in the shop, and he had to scroll to the very bottom; when he got there, he found it in a very small, inconspicuous corner.
[Name: Kongji Heavenly Wooden Sword]
[Type: Weapon]
[ATK:
[Quality: Standard]
[Gold Coins: 1]
[Description: A heavenly wooden sword that appears to have no other... responsibility than sitting around like a lazy bumhole? Idk, there isn't that much to say :P]
Xero: "..." Motherf**ker!