Chapter 2744: Chapter 2745: Shadow Sneak

After Vay finished the potion, he immediately dispelled the stone prison.

In the instant the stone prison was dispelled, Vay’s entire skin also exhibited petrification.

With the disappearance of the stone prison, the situation outside came into Vay’s view, and at that moment, Vay’s pupils suddenly shrank. In the reflection of Vay’s pupils, one could see a pitch-black evil ghost mask, and this mask was worn by the ghost shadow on its face!

This means... the ghost shadow is waiting for him outside the stone prison! Now it is almost face-to-face!

Vay’s heart skipped a beat and he immediately launched an attack against the ghost shadow.

With both palms converging, multiple earth spikes emerged from the palms, after continuous section increase and acceleration, the sharp earth spikes could reach triple impact — breakthrough shields, drill holes, crush bones, layer by layer.

Simultaneously, the horizontally released earth spikes would create a counterforce, allowing instant retreat to increase the distance.

The earth spikes successfully penetrated into the ghost shadow’s body, and Vay also managed to break away, but he showed no sign of happiness, because the force feedback from the earth spikes clearly seemed wrong. Soft as if piercing into cotton, not an entity.

As Vay was uncertain, a sound of wind suddenly arose behind him.

Vay didn’t turn around, he simply stepped lightly on the ground, and a stone pillar rose from the ground, Vay stood on the top of the stone pillar, elevating directly to ten meters in the air.

Only at this time did Vay turn to look below.

From the shadow of the stone pillar, a human form slowly separated out, the fading shadow gradually transformed into an entity, like a black ink silhouette being colored by a painter.

After becoming an entity, the person was indeed the ghost shadow!

Vay immediately turned to look at the spot from which he had released the earth spikes earlier, where the ghost shadow was gradually fading away... disappearing into nothingness.

One side fading, one side fading out. Although he didn’t know the connection, Vay understood that the previous move did not cause any harm to the ghost shadow.

At this time, the ghost shadow transformed into an entity and turned its head, and Vay clearly saw the face of the opponent. However, the ghost shadow was not wearing the mask at this moment, its face was pitch black, like a deep abyss.

In Vay’s astonished gaze, the ghost shadow’s hand slowly lifted, and countless black dots permeated his hand, finally assembling into an evil ghost mask.

The ghost shadow covered the mask on his face with one hand, and as the mask covered the face, Vay could feel the face beneath the mask transforming from an abyss into true features.

Just before the mask was fully worn, Vay saw the ghost shadow’s lips, thin and sharp.

The corners of the lips curled into an arc, as if in mockery, yet also announcing victory.

Vay didn’t understand why the ghost shadow suddenly showed its entity, nor why it deliberately removed the mask, revealing a sinister smile. But this didn’t stop Vay from attacking him.

If the ghost shadow were still in shadow form, Vay might not have been able to hurt him much, but daring to reveal true form, Vay didn’t fear facing him head-on.

Vay crouched down, his hand touching the top of the stone pillar, channeling the power of earth downward.

One after another, spikes resembling dragon ribs emerged from the ground, branching out, attempting to surround Vay.

When these slightly curved spikes formed a circle, it created a dome-like structure similar to a prison. Although this dome and the stone prison technique both trapped enemies, trapping isn’t the main effect!

This dome is called the Earth Cocoon, a secret technique inherited by the Noah Clan.

Being a secret technique, it naturally has its unique aspects. It can create a huge space like a cocoon, and when the earth cocoon takes shape, it directly strips away all non-earth active elements inside the cocoon space.

Once trapped inside, besides using the power of earth, only physical combat is possible.

If the ghost shadow falls into this, the battle should be nearly over.

Besides, don’t be fooled by the spikes appearing one after another, seemingly slow, giving the illusion that anyone can dodge them, actually, that’s misleading.

If outsiders learned the Earth Cocoon, it might indeed allow evasion. But when the Noah Clan releases the Earth Cocoon, upon release it activates Noah’s bloodline, a force spreads with each spike’s emergence, extending outward.

Once enveloped by the force, there’s almost no way to move.

The ghost shadow is currently enveloped by the force.

It’s not that he didn’t dodge, but Vay cleverly used the stone pillar underfoot as the first "spike" of the Earth Cocoon, and the ghost shadow happened to be beside the pillar, immediately covered by the force.

Watching the spikes spread through "enclosure" techniques, they would soon form the "Earth Cocoon".

But then, Vay suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and half-knelt on the stone pillar. At this moment, the spikes also paused for a second.

A second later, Vay, having no time to check why he was vomiting blood, immediately looked at the ground.

The ghost shadow was still in place, thankfully...

Vay was about to continue spreading the spikes when suddenly he thought of something, trying to pierce the ghost shadow’s body with a small spike from the ground.

But after the spike penetrated the ghost shadow’s body, there was only a soft feeling, exactly like the feedback from trying the earth spikes on the ghost shadow the first time!

This is a fake!

Vay was startled, immediately stopping the Earth Cocoon. Although this secret technique has amazing effects, it consumes a lot too, if completed to enclose a fake ghost shadow, he would suffer great loss.

The bone-like words retreated back into the ground.

Vay observed the surroundings, the ghost shadow was nowhere to be found, and even the previous fake ghost shadow had disappeared.

Unable to find the ghost shadow around, Vay looked into the distance at the mist. There’s no surprise, most likely the ghost shadow hid in the mist again.

Yet as Vay looked at the mist, his expression showed some shock.

This mist technique released by the ghost shadow, although initially spreading fully, why suddenly, it began to accelerate in spreading?!

Moreover, looking at the direction of the mist’s spreading, it was coming straight towards him!

...

"Fooled again." Dox lightly sighed in the Mind Ribbon.

Kaier: "What happened? It seems Vay had the upper hand previously, and although later he withdrew the spikes from the ground for some unknown reason, he should still be in balance, right?"

Dox: "Whether it’s balanced, I don’t know. Because the ghost shadow has never directly confronted Vay, without face-to-face contact, where’s the balance? The ghost shadow purely relies on tactics, depleting Vay’s magic power."

So far, the ghost shadow has only used Mist Technique and Shadowhide Technique.

Among them, the Mist Technique doesn’t even count as a trick, it can only be considered a means or a ploy. And the Shadowhide Technique is inherently basic in the Shadow Series.

Just like the Illusion Node is to the Illusionist Wizard, it’s the most basic of the basics.

Including the shadow avatar created, it’s merely an application of shadowhide.

As a result, two simple tricks uncovered Vay’s two trump cards. The final outcome of this duel is still unknown, but from a tactical aspect, the opponent completely outclassed Vay.

"Sound in theory one after another, but once on stage, immediately exposed." Dox shook his head in resignation.

"Yet you still lost to him back then?" Angel’s voice rang in the Mind Ribbon.

Dox grunted twice: "I was young back then, plus Vay knew all my tactics and abilities well, but his own abilities he liked to hide, claiming them as family secrets. So losing in a duel was only natural, right?"

"Besides, at that time, Vay was good at organizing and managing the rhythm during our adventures and solving riddles, I just..."

Angel: "Did you just hang around like an accessory?"

Dox was at a loss for a moment, then sheepishly said after a while: "My intuition wasn’t bad... "

Angel: "So, aside from your inspiration talent, you’re just an accessory."

Dox remained silent for a moment, didn’t respond to that, but changed the topic: "Anyway, Vay was quite strong at that time, but after all these years, he’s only grown stagnant."

Dox only dares to touch on the subject lightly, because the reasons for stagnation are actually related to the Black Earl.

Vay is very cautious around the Black Earl, always hesitating to cultivate too aggressively. This is why Dox has long become an Official Wizard, while Vay is still lingering at the peak of apprenticeship.

To avoid being controlled, Vay hasn’t left Mesomyia for years. No matter how strong your strategy, no matter how sharp your blade, time will eventually blunt them.

Watching Vay becoming diminished in the battle, Dox felt no ridicule but more of helplessness and lament.

"Perhaps Vay is currently laying out a strategy?" After saying this, Kaier sneakily glanced at the Black Earl, hoping to glean some hint from him. Unfortunately, the Black Earl showed no reaction.

Dox: "If this is really his strategy, it’s quite something. Using his own trump card to bluff the opponent’s Basic Sorcery?"

Dox shook his head: "Moreover, didn’t you notice? Vay suddenly coughed up blood while casting spells."

Kaier naturally saw Vay’s moment of coughing blood. He always wanted to ask what was up, but seeing Vay quickly adjusted himself, he didn’t think too much, simply assuming it was a side effect of Vay’s ability.

But now, according to Dox, is there something fishy going on?

Dox: "Naturally there’s something fishy, it’s impossible to cough up blood out of nowhere."

Dox stopped here, without continuing, as there was a new development on the battle stage.

The mist spread out, completely enveloping Vay within it.

Although Vay activated his bloodline, petrifying his skin to temporarily ward off bacterial intrusion, he himself fell into a predicament, a dual dilemma—lost and attacked.

Though being lost, Vay wanted to find a place not covered by the mist, yet no matter how he walked, he couldn’t get out of the mist.

As for the attack, Vay was occasionally ambushed by ghostly shadows in the mist, and even withstanding the petrified skin, he was beginning to struggle.

"Alas, it’s hard," Dox sighed.

Kaier watched Vay like a headless chicken, his face showing worry.

Dox turned to Kaier and said: "How is it? Have you figured it out? Better to understand it, you might be the next up against the ghostly shadows."

Upon hearing Dox’s question, Kaier forcibly pulled himself out of his worry.

No matter who wins or loses this match, it’s best for him to analyze himself, clearly understanding the vital points of victory and defeat. Otherwise, in the battles to come, he might fall into the opponent’s trap too.

Besides, if the ghostly shadows are this cunning, aren’t the others equally cunning? Perhaps even more so.

Thinking of this, Kaier began to comb through everything from the start.

When reviewing the previous battle scenario, Kaier found the crucial point lay in Vay suddenly coughing up blood, interrupting the casting of the Earth Cocoon, allowing the ghostly shadow to escape.

If Vay had no issue then, the ghostly shadow might already have lost.

But why did Vay cough blood at that time?

According to Dox, Vay’s coughing blood was certainly fishy. The so-called fishiness must be something the ghostly shadow did.

Maybe it was a trick, or maybe some trick was played.

To play tricks, the ghostly shadow must have directly contacted Vay. So far, the only contact would be at the start.

Back then, Vay was swept up by an attack from above by the ghostly shadow, bouncing off over ten meters away.

This is the only face-to-face contact Kaier remembers. Could it be that during the close encounter, the ghostly shadow did something?

Kaier pondered for a moment, rejecting this guess. Because after this contact, Kaier hid in the stone prison and started taking potions.

At that time, Red Sword and Chaowei were conversing, and from their talk, Kaier did not catch any mention of Vay being tricked.

If tricked, even if Chaowei didn’t mention it, given Red Sword’s personality, he would murmur a few sentences.

Yet excluding this encounter, there was no contact?

So how was Vay tricked?

...

On the battle stage, Vay was constantly being ambushed, each time the ghostly shadow retreated after a hit, never lingered in battle, and didn’t covet handholds.

Initially, Vay managed to withstand it, but as attacks became frequent, his petrified form was dismantled, and he struggled.

On one hand, he needed to ward off bacterial invasion, on the other, he had to grapple with the ghostly shadow, stretched too thin, repeatedly falling into the ghostly shadow’s grasp.

Vay now was beaten, bloodied all over.

But up till now, he hasn’t lost yet. This means the ghostly shadow did not attack Vay with pheromone methods.

Hence, the pheromone transmutation water Vay drank was basically in vain.

However, under the battle stage, as Kaier continuously reviewed the battle fragments, finally, among countless fragments, he found a point that felt off.

Vay previously suddenly created a stone pillar, which was a weird point.

Yet looking at subsequent reactions, Vay seemed to be avoiding an attack from behind.

Although from Kaier’s perspective, there was no one behind Vay at that time, the real battle was still based on Vay’s feelings.

Creating a stone pillar wasn’t the most peculiar, the strangest was that the ghostly shadow indeed appeared. But surprisingly, the ghostly shadow emerged from the shadow of the stone pillar.

This was very odd.

When did the ghostly shadow sneak into the shadow of the stone pillar? Additionally, why did he leave from the shadow of the stone pillar? And did it transform into a physical form?

When these doubts made Kaier feel uneasy, a scene emerged once again in his mind.

—Vay stood atop the stone pillar, the ghostly shadow emerged from the stone pillar’s shadow.

This scene, previously Kaier’s bewilderment lay in the ghostly shadow’s motives. But revisiting it, he found a blind spot.

When Vay stood atop the stone pillar, his shadow was actually connected to the stone pillar’s shadow!

In other words, the ghostly shadow leaving from the stone pillar’s shadow, was equivalent to leaving from Vay’s shadow!

The ghostly shadow is a Shadow Series apprentice, and what Shadow Series excels at most is causing damage to the True Body via shadows.

From this single detail, it’s essentially confirmed how Vay was tricked.

Vay coughing blood is definitely related to this!

Moreover, in the battle stage, the ghostly shadow is the opponent, the enemy. He can’t be so benevolent as to cause just one harm to Vay.

Since he successfully sneaked into Vay’s shadow, he surely did something unknowable to Vay at the time.

Vay’s current predicament, could it have been caused back then?

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