Chapter 176 - - 176 Each Displaying Divine Skills_1

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Agility, speed, swiftness…

Examinees with these key attributes tended to have very strong survival capabilities because the advanced skills they developed often related to speed. When others tried to kill them, all they needed to do was run, and most could avoid death.

Mikaro was very lucky. On the second day, he awaited an examinee with the keyword “blazing speed.”

His name was Vaden Bus.

He had awakened two advanced skills: “Its Speed Like Wind” and “Invasion Like Fire;”

Its Speed Like Wind: After designating an attack target, he would maintain a speed double his normal rate while charging forward;

Invasion Like Fire: During an attack, the morale of his troops surged, doubling their combined attributes again.

Invasion Like Fire did not increase speed, and Its Speed Like Wind’s double-speed was no match for the Feather of the Sea God’s triple enhancement.

Luckily, Silver Mountain Port was closer to Ergale, and after careful calculation, they would arrive even half a day earlier than Duge’s Sea Fish Pirate Group.

…

Mahamadu was originally in battle with Antonio.

Upon hearing the news that the Destiny Sea Map had been assembled, both sides decisively ceased fighting and made preparations.

Antonio, ranked fourth in the simulation arena, wasn’t in a hurry, but with the simulator’s population cut in half in just a few days, Mikaro and Mahamadu both issued bounties. He immediately became uneasy about his ranking. After a moment of contemplation, he volunteered to align himself with Mahamadu to check out the scene in person.

Even if not antagonizing Paul, he wanted to cause trouble on-site, ensuring no one knocked him out of the top ten spots at the last moment.

Especially since Admiral Mikaro publicly revealed his identity as an examinee, it infuriated Antonio, feeling played. He wanted to teach Mikaro a lesson—if he could push him out of the ranks, all the better.

Ranked third in the simulation arena was Mahamadu, who shared the sentiment. The closer to the end, the less one could afford to be negligent.

The two reached an agreement at once.

With only a bit over 180 people left in the simulation arena, there were too many variables.

After rankings were announced, the top ten of the simulation arena were theoretical allies.

On the third day, Mahamadu also awaited an examinee with speed.

His keyword was “running,” and the derived advanced skill was called “Thousand Miles God Walking,” which allowed him to travel a thousand miles by day and eight hundred by night. As his attributes increased, so too did the speed of his running proportional to them.

If brought to the extremes, the attributes could give him the speed of the Flash Hero.

Unfortunately.

He didn’t have enough time to grow, and running couldn’t produce an effect that impacted the world’s progression. With low attributes, traveling a thousand miles by day was already his limit.

The key issue was that he could only run by himself, unable to carry his fleet along.

Mahamadu and Antonio had thought their fate was sealed, with no chance left to partake in the final battle, even ready to breed their gu by cultivating the attributes of the recruits they gathered, then killing them off at the last minute to maintain their ranks.

But fortune favors the bold.

The appearance of two examinees, one with “Traction” and the other with “Transformation,” perfectly resolved their issue of marching speed.

Traction:

Advanced Skill:

Iron Chain Links: Connects different objects together, causing them to suffer the same damage.

Transformation:

Advanced Skill:

Conservation of Energy: Enables the conversion of one type of energy into another.

Thousand Miles God Walking—Iron Chain Links—Conservation of Energy.

The three examinees joined forces, perfectly resolving the fleet’s speed issue.

Iron Chain Links bound the pirate group into a single entity, while Thousand Miles God Walking raced back and forth across the deck. Conservation of Energy transformed the kinetic energy produced by running into a propelling force moving the ships forward.

Of course.

Merely relying on the kinetic energy produced by Thousand Miles God Walking to power over two hundred pirate ships was inevitably somewhat insufficient.

But when pirates on the ship collectively ran, contributing kinetic energy plus the wind force, it was enough to give the entire fleet the enhancement of the Feather of the Sea God.

The ships raced over the waves, and the seamen ran frenziedly on the deck, making for a unique spectacle in the pirate world.

…

Of the several powers, the only one who was unlucky was Jon Ludi. He never managed to wait for an examinee with a speed boost and, with no other choice, could only stay put, hoping to maintain his current rank when the simulation arena concluded.

…

Five days later.

Duge finally welcomed the long-awaited simulation arena narrowing of rankings.

He opened his personal panel.

Ten names sparkled with an extraordinary glow, scrolling cyclically at the top of the personal panel.

First place: Paul Wolfs; Captain of the Sea Fish Pirate Group;

Second place: Mikaro Beg; Royal Navy Admiral;

Third place: Mahamadu; King of the East Sea;

Fourth place: Antonio; Royal Navy Rear Admiral;

Fifth place: Jon Ludi; King of the Western Sea;

Sixth Place: Vaden Bus; Deputy Commander of the Royal Navy;

Seventh Place: Dyson Yuri; Major of the East Sea Pirate Group;

Eighth Place: Tylen Biton; Major of the East Sea Pirate Group;

Ninth Place: Matto Harding; Major of the East Sea Pirate Group;

Tenth Place: Mans Burn; Crewman of the Nautilus, Sea Fish Pirate Group;

…

The top ten rankings not only displayed the names but also included specific positions, so there was no need to worry about duplicates. Fortunately, they did not reveal any keywords, saving them from being completely exposed.

‘To assassinate them and take their place really is a literal shrinking of the circle,’ Duge reflected quietly to himself.

If it weren’t for his meddling and drawing all the firepower to himself,

then the top ten would be sitting ducks, glaringly obvious targets to everyone around.

Even without an immediate assassination, it would be too easy for others to figure out their skills in secret and to target them for sabotage.

Moreover,

once the rankings were announced, anything these people did would be magnified a hundredfold and analyzed for a response…

Once someone unexpectedly rose through the ranks by virtue of their attributes and influence, breaking into the top ten, their name would also be broadcast.

The number of people exposed would only increase…

No wonder everyone chose to lay low.

His idea to control his ranking in the last simulation field was correct; 15th to 25th place seemed to be a safe range.

It allowed for advance or retreat.

With the top ten exposed, for survival, they must accelerate their pace and try to eliminate other contestants as much as possible;

the other contestants, in order to replace the top ten in the end, must find ways to hide themselves, try to grow with keywords, and ensure they aren’t too far behind the top ten…

It must be said that surviving in an Alien Battlefield is truly a profound art.

No wonder Nan Youlong had such a big problem with his rush strategy…

But that’s not right.

Alien Battlefields can last for decades, sometimes even a hundred years.

A simulation field only contains three thousand warriors.

How could the rest simply let the top ten develop for decades, or even a century, at leisure?

The monthly ranking announcement is probably just a simulation field rule, a special setting designed to enhance the efficiency of all participants.

In a real Alien Battlefield, announcing rankings so quickly would make it impossible for the game to last for centuries…

…

“You’re tenth?” Duge said with a smile, looking towards Mans, who was similarly checking his personal panel.

“I was already tenth when I fixed the Destiny Sea Map. After all, its restoration completely changed the course of the world; the impact was too great,” sighed Mans. “Paul, you were right, my skill is just auxiliary, and a tenth place without combat skills is just a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.”

He turned his head to glance at Jannie playing with the Crystal Ball, and then shook his head, “If I can maintain this rank until the end, I’ll be satisfied.”

“You will. Once your ranking falls, I’ll smash the Golden Compass and let you repair it again. I never let my own people suffer,” Duge said, looking at him with a laugh. “This time, you have helped me a great deal.”

“Paul, you must not take this lightly,” Mans cautioned with a glance at Duge. “The top ten includes three from the Royal Navy, and four from the East Sea Pirate Group. This situation is rare, unless what they are doing can change the course of the world. No one will willingly step aside, and it’s highly likely that we will confront them.”

“These people are foolish. They’ve already secured the top ten spots, so why oppose me?” Duge sighed. “Why can’t they just honestly wait for me to hand over the Sea God Scepter to Jannie and end this simulation?”

“Who would settle for being second if they have a chance to advance one more place?” Mans said with a bitter smile, looking helplessly towards Duge. “The Elite Selection Contest assesses your use of keywords as well as control over the situation, and you’ve disrupted everyone’s rhythm; they have to seize the time to show themselves!”

Why didn’t Nan Youlong tell me about this?

Duge was momentarily stunned.

But that’s not right.

He did mention it.

The Elite Selection Contest evaluates one’s understanding and application of keywords, and the examiners outside will provide specialized training based on one’s performance in the simulation, specifically targeting the poor habits in keyword application.

But since he was destined for the Alien Battlefield, he didn’t really care.

Poor habits?

Hmph!

Who can use keywords better than me?

Looking at the idiots they’ve taught…

Suddenly.

Duge realized something.

The only keyword he openly possessed was “joy.”

Causing such a huge commotion didn’t seem like something “joy” would do!

His head started to ache. Finding two suitable advanced skills to conceal his wild maneuvers in the simulation seemed even harder than winning first place…

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