Chapter 717 - NOCTIS VS RAZOR (IV)

A DJINN? Like the genie in Aladdin? That small revelation took Luo Yan by surprise once again. If Eclipse didn't tell him about it, he would have never guessed that that was Razor's race. 

            [Thank you, Eclipse.] – he said.

            The little boy's voice immediately echoed in his mind, [No worries, Mashter. Eclipse is happy to help!]

He observed his opponent once again. He really couldn't match him with the image of a genie. Maybe because the image of the genie in Aladdin was embedded in his mind too strongly that he couldn't help but associate the Djinn he was fighting to that genie. 

That genie was happy-go-lucky and a bit obnoxious at times. He was loud and loved to prank people. But he was also endearing and kind-hearted. Like a big kid. He couldn't really associate that with Razor who constantly had a dead-pan expression on his face. 

Oh well, at least their skin color was the same.

Knowing that the other was a Djinn, Luo Yan started to analyze what possible skill the other had that was unique to his race. The smoke and the blue flame were already a given. Unlike the dragon flame, Razor's flame was a bit different. It didn't have an offensive characteristic. It didn't even feel hot when he was near it. In fact, it felt like the flames had no temperature at all.

So, the flames were just for aesthetic? Since Razor could turn into smoke, there should be flame? Was it that kind of logic? Knowing how big the game devs' brain hole, that might really be the case. 

Speaking of a genie, wouldn't this guy have a skill related to wishes? Surely, it wouldn't so such an OP skill that the other could wish to win this game and Luo Yan would just magically lose, right?

Anyway, he continued to observed the blue smoke that would appear here and there on the rink. After a while, he finally noticed a pattern. There was a set time in which the blue smoke appeared. After observing for a set of time, he finally concluded that the smoke would appear every 30 seconds. It would maintain that form for five seconds before dispersing in the air.

A plan was already starting to form in his mind. He only had a time window of five seconds to execute it. But that was enough. With his presence hidden inside the [Invisibility Cloak], the only thing he needed to worry about was getting the timing right.

Luo Yan focused his whole attention on the rink. The moment the blue smoke appeared, he rushed forward and then used one of his skills – [Shadow Cage].

When Cai Hong felt something dangerous coming closer to him, he knew that Noctis finally couldn't help but move his hands. He readied himself for whatever attack that was coming. But he was not worried. In his current state, any physical attack would not work and would simply go through his body. But he still braced himself just in case the other used a skill that could affect him.

And then, something unexpected happened. His shadow – or the smoke's shadow – on the ground suddenly expanded. Then, different parts of it rose like some kind of shadow tentacle, enclosing him like a cage. 

He felt confused for a second. But then calmed down quickly. Surely, Noctis didn't think that this cage, whatever this was, could keep him, right? His smoke form began to disperse. But when the smoke came in contact with the cage, the shadow started to 'devour' the smoke.

Yes, 'devour' was the closest word he could think of to describe what he was seeing. The shadow was slowly eating his smoke and as it did, Cai Hong was slowly turning back to his normal form. Until his avatar was completely revealed. He knew then that this cage was no ordinary cage at all.

He hadn't had time to observe and analyze the cage because he saw a black dagger rushing through one of cage's gaps. Due to his quick reflexes, he somehow managed to dodge it. Before he could think of a way to get out of this cage and fight back, he felt something hitting his back.

He tried to look back but he suddenly felt his body freezing up. It's not like his body was turning into ice but more on the fact that he simply couldn't move. He understood that whatever had hit him caused this. If he didn't do something, the next move that Noctis would do would definitely finish him off.

So, he no longer hesitated and used the skill unique to his race – [Three Wishes].

Just like the name suggested, it's a skill that would grant three wishes. But this only worked if the 'wish' he made had something to do with his game avatar. For example, he could wish for his stats to increase tenfold, but he couldn't wish to suddenly defeat his opponent. Any wishes that involved his environment or any factor in it wouldn't be granted.

He first wished for whatever status ailment that's been bothering him to be dispelled. As soon as he did, he immediately felt that he could move again. Then, the second wish he made was to be able to 'see' where Noctis was. An image of the rink appeared in his mind and there standing behind him was the white-haired elf. And the last wish he made was to teleport on the spot behind where Noctis was standing.

The things that happened in the next second flew by so fast that neither the audience nor Luo Yan could have predicted it. Razor disappeared inside the cage and before Luo Yan could react, he felt something stabbing him from the back. When he looked down, he saw the tips of a blade poking out his chest.

Shit.

His HP was declining rapidly. And he knew that if he didn't do something, he would definitely turn into light particles at any second. So, he did the best thing he could at the moment. 

He plunged into his own shadow.