Chapter 14: Winds and the Cracked Node
The wind in the trial field suddenly grew sharper.
Ashfield had been configured with a static wind pattern, but now the breeze danced in conflicting directions. Leaves rustled unevenly. Sand shifted under their feet. Something was… off.
"Is the system lagging?" Su Xu frowned, eyes fixed on the enemy respawn point. "Those Chasers are coming back way too fast."
"Didn't we just blow them up?" Xie Ping crouched and tapped the ground. "Is the system trying to zerg us to death?"
"It's not lag. The node's unstable," Lu Jingxing said coldly. "And it's not just the enemies."
He was staring at a distorted tear in the distance.
A second later, the rift trembled—and something tore through. A formless mass surged out, warped and pulsing with oppressive pressure. [Warning: Non-designated Memory Stream Generated]
[Node Sync Unstable. Regional Resonance Index Rising Abnormally] "Careful!" Nie Shi shouted. Void materialized in his hand and swung forward, shielding Lin Kui.
A shockwave blasted through the clearing. Lin Kui flinched—her Water Mirror didn't respond at all.
Nie Shi pulled her behind him, grounding Void's spear-tip into the earth. A circular ripple exploded outward, canceling the blast.
Only then did the Mirror flicker, casting a translucent blue shimmer across the air—a shimmering shield that filled the gap Void had missed. [Resonance Established: Lin Kui - Water Mirror (Initial Sync)]
[Constructed Path: Emotional Anchor - Protection] Lin Kui stared at the quivering shield.
"…It's protecting me?" she whispered.
Nie Shi said nothing, only raised his spear again, eyes calm and steady. "Hey! You two, look out!" Xie Ping shouted while backpedaling, tossing his weapon "Little Boom" in a flurry of explosive orbs.
"As if I need your help!" Su Xu's flaming whip lashed out with a snap, striking the mutated entity's flank.
The two moved in near-perfect sync—neither quite realizing it.
A combined blast hit dead center. Xie Ping whistled. "Nice shot."
Su Xu snorted. "I was covering you, not the other way around." [Combat Path Simplified]
[Sync Index +1.8%] Lu Jingxing narrowed his eyes, reading the creature's movement.
He unsheathed his twin blades and sprinted forward.
Lightning erupted from his steps, spreading across the ground in branching arcs. The surge blocked the creature's advance entirely.
"Get back," he said, not looking.
Su Xu didn't hear—but the electric barrier held the thing at bay.
"…Thanks," she muttered.
"Don't misunderstand." Lu Jingxing's tone was cold. "I just don't want you getting in my way." [Emotion Trigger: Suppression-Type]
[Path Precision +3.2%] Nie Shi watched the shifting mass. His fingers brushed Void's spear-shaft.
This time, it moved before he did.
The weapon angled itself, subtly guiding him.
He understood.
With a pivot, he reversed his grip and swept horizontally—the spear spinning like rotor blades, striking three memory cores in one motion.
The creature buckled, groaning in a strange, fragmented cry. [Void Path Alteration Recorded]
[Sync Rate Surged: 14.1%]
[Unauthorized Skill Activated: Spiral Drive Form - Lv.1] Just as the thing prepared to collapse, a final strike sliced from above, cleaving straight through the core.
Silence.
Atop a nearby ridge stood Meng Yao, his crescent-thin blade gleaming.
"I heard something weird was going on here, so I thought I'd swing by," he said with a gentle smile.
"You always show up at the perfect moment!" Xie Ping called out.
"Better than watching you scream," Meng Yao replied casually, walking over. "Everyone okay?"
He checked each of them with a warm smile, even handing Lin Kui a recovery drink.
"That was rough for your first real battle. You're all doing great."
The system pinged softly in the background: [Meng Yao - Armament Data Acquisition Successful]
[Recorded Paths: Flame Lash, Little Boom, Thunder Fang, Water Mirror, Void]
[Variable Tracking: Ongoing…] Meng Yao saw the gratitude on their faces—fear mixed with trust—and smiled just a little more.
He said nothing else. Deep within the instance, far past user access range, a system monitor lit up: [Path Jump Confirmed]
[Node Resonance Instability Rising]
[Analysis: Possible External Variable Involvement – 42.7%] In the trial field, the wind shifted again. System Log – Auto-Generated Post-Battle Report [Instance: Ashfield]
[Team: E3-1]
[Subjects: 5]
[Path Resonance Activity: Elevated] Report Summary: • Nie Shi (Void): Successful path deformation. Unlocked skill node: Spiral Drive Lv.1 . Sync rate now 14.1%. Classified as potential multi-path armament wielder.
→ Recommendation: Monitor – Growth Class. • Lin Kui (Water Mirror): First successful resonance. Emotional anchor "Protection" established. Defensive path semi-stable.
→ Status: Emerging Synchronization Phase. • Lu Jingxing (Thunder Fang): High suppression efficiency. Path precision increased +3.2%.
→ Note: Deepening Suppression Route. • Su Xu (Flame Lash) & Xie Ping (Little Boom): Detected spontaneous cooperative patterning. Sync wave increased +1.8%.
→ Suggested: Pair Coordination Trials. [Conclusion: Team E3-1 displays path development potential. Multiple members near breakthrough threshold. Priority upgraded to: Variable Surveillance Class.]
[Tracking Assigned to: ID M-9]