VRMMORPG: The Other World Online

The barrier reverberated.

Cheng Xiu panted.

The fire puppet hit the barrier again.

The barrier pulsed.

The water puppet moved. It waved its hand and created a vortex of water in front of it.

The vortex hit the barrier at the same places the fire puppet hit.

Cheng Xiu felt a part of her mind struggle against an obstacle.

She spun around.

The metal puppet hit against the barrier from the right. The wood puppet hit the barrier from the left and the earth puppet hit it from behind her. They pelted the barrier with bullets of wood, rocks and daggers.

Cheng Xiu wanted to cry. Where was the fairness in this Match? They flanked her on all sides!

Cheng Xiu tried to clear her mind. She couldn't lose like this.

Cheng Xiu thought about the unfairness in this match. It shouldn't be like this. These skills should have a limit as they were nerfed. But what was that-

The Fire puppet turned into ashes.

There was no Talisman in its place.

Cheng Xiu blinked as a thought occurred to her. Durability? Was durability the nerfed part of the Elemental puppets?

The water puppet turned into a puddle.

The Earth puppet turned into dust.

The wood puppet withered away.

The metal puppet exploded.

Cheng Xiu raised her eyebrow. The time since the moment they were summoned till they died was 5-7 minutes. In this timeframe, the puppets would die.

Did the puppets use of power also become a factor?

Though not obvious, the puppets were activated the entire time. Ready to attack her, and act as a support when necessary.

The fact that the fire element went out first was likely due to its attack on her.

Cheng Xiu looked over at Crow, curious about what he would do next.

The wound on her sword arm throbbed.

Crow tossed out five talismans again.

The Elemental puppets were back.

Her eyes went to Crow, who hadn't moved from his spot yet. He didn't look tired from using all those talismans.

"Do you have infinite Qi?" Cheng Xiu asked.

He laughed. "The opposite actually. Makes it necessary to learn to have good control over the Qi so I won't waste it."

Cheng Xiu pondered his words. "You have a talisman that is used as a storage for Qi."

Crow looked at her impressed. "Yes! It's so obvious that people won't even give it a thought."

"So the question is," Cheng Xiu said, "who will last longer."

Crow smiled. "I've never liked stalemates. I like killing my opponents very much. It's become a habit and a problem."

"Should I feel sorry for you or your opponents?"

"You are one of my opponents."

"Sorry for your opponents it is."

He smiled. "I think so too."

Cheng Xiu rolled her eyes.

"But do you know the worst of it?" Crow asked.

"I don't."

"I hate opponents with hidden skills."

"You must hate playing poker then."

Crow narrowed his eyes. "I don't like you."

Cheng Xiu shrugged. Did this guy think his opinion of her would mean something to her?

The fire puppet moved towards her barrier again.

Just as it raised its fist to hit the blue barrier again, a wooden baby puppet appeared next to it and placed a white talisman.

Cheng Xiu felt a sense of unease rise in her guts.

She leapt to the side.

The fire flared as the talisman glowed, and the barrier broke.

Cheng Xiu somersaulted and slashed at the baby puppet, turning it to ashes.

The other puppets ran towards her.

The fire puppet lept at her with its raised fist.

Cheng Xiu closed her eyes to connect with the Qi around her. She could sense the movements of the puppets. They were all connected to Crow's chest.

She manoeuvred the sword copies towards each of the puppets and occupied them with it. The puppets lept and lunged to get to her, and Cheng Xiu backed away even more.

She sensed five different Qi threads other than the Elemental puppets.

The fire Puppet escaped the sword copy as she got distracted and grabbed her by the shoulder.

Cheng Xiu pushed the thing away with her sword and spun to the left.

The puppet followed her.

Cheng Xiu slashed towards the puppet's heart.

It moved away.

The blade of her sword slashed through a baby puppet's heart.

There was stillness during which Cheng Xiu spun her sword by the hilt and pierced the Fire puppet's heart.