Xianzhou Luofu, Artisanship Commission
Two "young" girls and a young man appeared within the Artisanship Commission.
"Hmm... This place will do," Jingliu remarked, her gaze settling on Yanqing as she sensed the pervasive Mara energy in the air. "Slaying Abominations with your sword doesn't violate Cloud Knight regulations, nor would it constitute using official duties for personal gain, correct?"
"How will we determine the winner?" Yanqing asked without hesitation, a confident smile curving his lips as if victory were already assured.
Unfazed by Yanqing's arrogance, Jingliu turned to Lumina, who seemed uncharacteristically subdued. "As the referee, shouldn't you offer your opinion?"
"Me?" Lumina blinked in surprise before instantly snapping out of her uncharacteristic mood. Her subdued demeanor vanished, replaced by her signature cheerful grin. "Let's race to see who's faster!" she chirped happily. "Every Abomination along the way must be eliminated—no stragglers allowed. The first to reach the designated location wins."
Hearing this, Yanqing turned to Jingliu. Seeing her give a slight nod, he agreed.
"A deal's a deal."
After hearing Lumina's rules for the "game," Yanqing's confidence soared.
I won't lose in swordsmanship, and I've never lost a race. With both combined, how could I possibly lose?
"You go first," Jingliu said, nodding for Yanqing to proceed.
Yanqing didn't hesitate. If she underestimates me so much, I'll show her my true strength in this contest!
"Oh, right," Yanqing suddenly remembered something after taking a few steps.
He turned back to Jingliu, a naive smile spreading across his face. "Big Sister, you're not planning to use this as an excuse to run away, are you?"
Jingliu remained silent, but her subtle movements betrayed a hint of helplessness.
"Don't worry, she won't get away with me here," Lumina said with a smile.
Hearing this, Yanqing nodded at Lumina before resuming his advance. Raising his sword, he charged toward a nearby Mara-Struck soldier.
"So, my dear Jingliu, what do you think of your grand-disciple?" Lumina asked with a smile, watching Yanqing wield his sword against the Abominations.
Jingliu, deliberately ignoring Lumina's affectionate nickname, replied calmly, "His swordsmanship is impressive. He can control six flying swords simultaneously in a single breath without any jarring movements. Such skill is rare, even among the Cloud Knights."
She crossed her arms, evaluating Yanqing's technique. "However, he relies too heavily on aggressive attacks and neglects the art of concealing his blade. This leads to a somewhat disorganized finish."
Lumina nodded. "I understand. He's just a bit young and headstrong—too reckless, right?" Though she didn't grasp the technical terms Jingliu used, she understood the general meaning.
"What is your true purpose?" Jingliu asked, her gaze fixed on Lumina.
Lumina chuckled, glancing at Yanqing, who had already slain several Abominations. She shrugged and replied,
"Instead of asking questions, shouldn't we just get on with the duel?" Lumina asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Don't lose just because you were chatting with me," she added with a mockingly helpful reminder.
"Hmm... To quote that young man..." Jingliu replied, her voice as flat and emotionless as if stating a simple fact, "My sword knows no defeat."
And indeed, the gap in their strength was so vast that Jingliu could have fought with one hand tied behind her back and still won.
But...
"You're right. If it were just Yanqing, he wouldn't stand a chance against you," Lumina said, folding her hands behind her back and leaning forward slightly. A wicked smile spread across her face.
"But if... I were to pull a few strings..."
"The outcome might be a little less certain, don't you think?"
Jingliu: ...
"Sigh..." Jingliu sighed, her gaze piercing through her black veil to lock onto Lumina. "You remind me of someone I used to know."
With that, Jingliu turned her back on Lumina and strode toward Yanqing, formally beginning their spar.
"Really? That similar?" Lumina's smile widened as she hurried after Jingliu. "Let me guess—are they both blessed with wisdom and beauty?"
Hearing this, Jingliu stopped and turned to face Lumina. Her eternally impassive expression finally shifted, gradually hardening into seriousness.
"No..."
"It's the same unreasonable antics, the same smugness, the same... self-righteousness."
"Hmm~" Lumina hummed softly, her smile unwavering as she met Jingliu's gaze.
Jingliu returned the look, though her face remained veiled in black gauze, her mind momentarily faltering.
Neither spoke nor moved, their eyes locked in a silent confrontation.
Time drifted by. The sun crept across the sky, gradually lengthening their shadows on the ground...
-
This section outlines the skill mechanics of Boss Lumina. Feel free to skip it; it won't affect your understanding of the story.
Enemy Reconnaissance Log: Lumina
Phase 1:
Due to her lack of confidence in her own strength and her intention to "hold back," Boss Lumina gains weaknesses to all elemental attributes and refrains from any attacks in this phase.
After triggering a Weakness Break on Boss Lumina, all allied units gain a 200% damage boost that lasts until Phase 2 begins.
The Weakness Break State persists even after Boss Lumina is defeated, remaining active until Phase 2 begins.
Phase 2:
Boss Lumina removes all her weaknesses and enters the Holy state, fixing her speed at 50 points.
If a Weakness Break occurs, her speed increases to 100 points. Upon exiting the Weakness Break State, she re-enters the Holy state.
Holy: Each time Lumina is attacked, she gains a weakness to the corresponding attribute. During her next action, she unleashes different types of attacks based on the number of weaknesses she has accumulated.
1 Weakness: Lumina casts Reincarnation on all allied units and increases her speed to 100 points.
Reincarnation: Lumina removes all her weaknesses, enters the Reincarnation state, and applies the Reincarnation Mark (permanent) to all allied units. This mark persists until Boss Lumina is put back into a Weakness Break State.
Next Attack: Boss Lumina casts [Wither] on all allies.
Reincarnation Mark: When an ally hits Boss Lumina with an attack of any attribute, she gains a corresponding attribute weakness and is afflicted with a stack of [Reincarnation] of that attribute.
Each stack of [Reincarnation] increases the Weakness Break Efficiency of the corresponding attribute for all allies by 10%, stacking up to a maximum of four layers. This effect lasts until Boss Lumina's next attack or until she enters a Weakness Break State.
A single character can only contribute one stack.
(In other words, one character can apply one stack, and other characters of the same attribute can help stack additional layers until the maximum of four is reached. Different attributes can only stack their respective layers of [Reincarnation].)
(Four Quantum characters can stack up to 40% Quantum Weakness Break Efficiency. A team of three Quantum and one Imaginary character can only stack up to 30% Quantum Weakness Break Efficiency and 10% Imaginary Weakness Break Efficiency.)
Wither: Ignores all mechanics and immediately renders all allies unable to battle.
(High-risk skill!!! Unavoidable.)
2-3 Weaknesses: Boss Lumina removes all her weaknesses and randomly gains one weakness from an ally, increasing its Weakness Break Efficiency by 100%.
Boss Lumina casts Life Pact on all allies, immediately reducing the HP of any character with over 50% HP to 50%. During their next turn, all allies with Life Pact will be targeted by Wither.
When Boss Lumina enters Weakness Break State, all active effects are dispelled.
Life Pact: Units with Life Pact take 100% increased damage and receive 60% less healing (cannot be removed).
The effects of Life Pact can be removed by restoring a unit's HP to its maximum.
Wither: Deals catastrophic damage to all allies with Life Pact.
(High-risk skill!!! If you can't remove Life Pact in time, try stacking shields and defense to weather the attack!)
4 Weaknesses: Boss Lumina re-enters her Holy state, increasing all allies' Weakness Break Efficiency by 50% until she is forced into Weakness Break State.
5-7 Weaknesses: Immediately forces Boss Lumina into Weakness Break State and increases all allies' damage by 100% until her next action.
(She has three forms, but we'll save that for later. Tee-hee~)
It's not like I haven't figured it out yet!
(Skills can be added~)