Chapter 211 – Invasion of Powerful Enemies Pt. 1
Naifa Lian secretly shot a glance at Suo Jia. In reality, a boy like Suo Jia was more likely to catch her attention. Back when they were at school, he had already been extremely well-known. After getting out in society, he had smoothly increased his wealth as well, and advanced in noble rank. Although Suo Jia himself couldn’t tell, his body in others’ eyes seemed to be enveloped in a bright halo that hid too many secrets.
For example, in Naifa Lian’s eyes, Suo Jia was really extraordinary. He was only around 13 years old, but had already become a Viscount. Moreover, there were tons of experts at his side that were all abnormally powerful. In addition, he also had Dawn Fort as his territory. Exactly how he had done all this? This was, after all, the border station between six countries. How could it be given away as enfeoffment?
Handsome, cool, and heroic were indeed all requirements that drew a girl’s attraction. However, these weren’t the only things. While appearance was important, power, personality, and charm were more important. Having a mysterious halo enshrouding them was especially poisonous to girls. Once a girl’s curiosity about a boy was piqued, she had basically been ensnared.
Seeing Naifa Lian stand there for a long time without speaking, Suo Jia couldn’t help but turn his head to look at her inquisitively. To him, Naifa Lian was also extremely mysterious. Her strange footwork in particular, was something that Suo Jia had yearned for for a long time now.
Suo Jia hesitated for a bit before gritting his teeth and saying, “There’s a matter that I’d like to consult with you about. However, I’ve always been too embarrassed to ask.”
“Hm?” Naifa Lian shot a puzzled look at Suo Jia and asked, “What matter? Please go ahead and ask.”
Suo Jia nodded and said, “My question is one that you have the right to not answer. But if you are willing to give me some pointers, I will definitely thank you properly.”
Naifa Lian wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry at Suo Jia’s words. In her mind, Suo Jia had always been extremely bold. She hadn’t imagined that he could have such reserved moments too!
As he looked at the smiling Naifa Lian, Suo Jia’s heart began to race uncontrollably. During the recent chain of battles, he had suddenly discovered a problem: his close combat abilities!
Although a mage was a long-ranged profession…it was extremely difficult to maintain a distance in most battles. The factors in distance included topography, environment, as well as the opponent’s strength, and these influences were too great. In general, as long as the opponent was around equal strength, they’d have the ability to press in.
For example, the battle that day in the City Lord’s residence hall. As soon as he had entered the hall, he had almost immediately been roped into close combat. All the escape routes had been blocked off. In that moment, there had been no way of creating any distance. In addition, if he did really try moving, how could a mage compare to a warrior?
Without a doubt, once a mage pulled some distance between him and his opponent, the mage would have devastating power that could completely defeat a warrior much stronger than him. However, mages weren’t the only people that knew of this; everyone understood this fact. How could the distance be maintained then?
In addition, Suo Jia was to go to the Greater Trade Routes in the future. The situation there would be much more complicated than it was here. Enemies could appear in front of him at any moment. Wanting to maintain distance in such a circumstance was a mere fantasy. If the other party knew he was a mage, it’d be stranger if they did let him draw further away. It was especially true if the mage was up against an assassination or an ambush; it was practically impossible for them to retaliate.
Because of these reasons, Suo Jia had suddenly realized that close combat attacks were most important. Close combat attacks were what mages were worst at. It was also the underlying reason for most losses that mages suffered from in battle.
Theoretically, a person’s true ability couldn’t be calculated according to their strongest point, but their weakest point. And close combat was undoubtedly a mage’s greatest weakness.
In terms of close combat, Suo Jia had the Diamond Charge, Water God’s Shield, Revolving Frozen Gas, and the Ice Stream Technique…but all of these were for offense or defense. None of them were evasion skills. Even the Wave Walking’s steps couldn’t do anything. With the help of combat boots, they could help the user move in mid-air, but they didn’t have any appropriate footwork as assistance.
However, Suo Jia had discovered the strange footwork that Naifa Lian used. Her steps made it so that the opposite party had absolutely no way of following her movements or her trajectory. When it seemed like she was going left, her body would twist weirdly and she’d turn to the right. It seemed impossible for anyone to capture her.
Currently, Suo Jia’s long-ranged magic attacks already possessed quite a bit of power. However, Suo Jia was grieved to discover that in his recent battles, whether it was a brawl against Duo Mei, the fight to steal the Atlantis armor, or the bloody battle in the City Lord’s residence hall, the last stretch always relied on close combat to deal with the enemy. If he lost in the close combat, he’d lose the entire battle. No matter how powerful he was in long range, it would prove to be of no use.
Suo Jia abruptly raised his head to gaze deeply at Naifa Lian. He knew that attack, defense, and auxiliary moves were all things he could slowly master by himself. However, evasive footwork required another to teach him. At the very least, they had to introduce it to him.
Suo Jia bravely said through clenched teeth, “I remember that I once saw you in Holy Light Academy around 4-5 years ago. Back then…you seemed to be using some strange footwork. I’d like to know, what exactly is that footwork? Why does it look so abnormal?”
“What! You saw me 4-5 years ago?” Naifa Lian cried out in astonishment.
Suo Jia nodded and said bitterly, “I did see you back then. At that time, it was because I had glanced at you that Kaos had slapped me a few times. That was the first time I had ever been beaten in my life!”
Naifa Lian’s jaw dropped in shock. She finally realized exactly what the enmity between Suo Jia and Kaos was. She just hadn’t ever imagined that the hatred between them had arisen because of her.
Seeing the tongue-tied Naifa Lian, Suo Jia smiled and said, “Originally, I had prepared to ask you for guidance 3-4 years ago. But because of the trouble with Kaos, I went back to enter closed-door training in order to improve my magic power and spirit power. Thus, I ended up forgetting the importance of the footwork I saw.”
Suo Jia looked at Naifa Lian and said sincerely, “That’s why, I wonder if you can teach me that mysterious footwork. I really need it.”
“That…” Naifa Lian couldn’t help but blush at his request, and she was at a complete loss for words.
Seeing Naifa Lian’s conflicted expression, Suo Jia’s face fell as he said gloomily, “If it’s really too difficult of a request, then I won’t ask. There’s no need to feel conflicted.”
“No, that’s not it…” Naifa Lian’s face flushed darker. In reality, although Naifa Lian seemed extremely proud and aloof on the outside, she had only been a 15-16 year old girl back then as well. She hadn’t really liked speaking much, but she had still been a charming girl with a playful nature, and this aspect of her hadn’t changed.
Naifa Lian stole a glance at Suo Jia, and she could clearly see the disappointment on his face. She gritted her teeth and suddenly said, “Actually I don’t really have any footwork to teach you. It’s not that I’m unwilling to teach, but more that I simply walk in lattices for fun!”
“Walk in lattices for fun”. When Suo Jia heard this, his expression turned to one of complete shock.
“Yea…” Nodding firmly, Naifa Lian said in embarrassment, “Weren’t the central roads in the academy paved with multi-colored pebbles? Actually, I was just stepping on the blue stones one after another down the road. I wasn’t actually using some type of footwork.”
“Ack!” Suo Jia was completely dumbstruck at Naifa Lian’s words. He clearly remembered that the central path at the academy had split the academy in half. There were two parts of the school on either side, and this path was the only one in between.
The path had been paved with green and blue stones. There had been blue stones embedded on its surface, giving people the feeling that it was a flowing river. Those blue stones were like the pebbles along a stream.
After standing there stunned for a long while, Suo Jia abruptly clapped his hands together. He had suddenly realized that those stones probably hadn’t been randomly paved. They must have followed some type of diagram. That meant this diagram contained that footwork!
Suo Jia didn’t dare waste any more time. He hurriedly wrote a letter to Wen Ya, asking for her to help him go to Holy Light Academy and find that diagram. If she couldn’t find them, then she was to draw out the central path and send it to Suo Jia.
Wen Ya’s ability to get things done was unquestionable. After all…her status and position were all established there. Soon afterwards…the diagram was laid out in front of Suo Jia. In addition, an overhead image of the central path was also displayed in front of him.