The cyan short sword was wrapped in a ceaseless vortex of wind, with six-pointed white snowflakes dancing along, adding a touch of icy cold to the blade's sharpness.
And the winds that raged across the battlefield also lent some momentum to the snow, causing the already low temperature to drop even further, making Hofner's expression increasingly grim.
Even though it was power he himself had unleashed, it was ultimately borrowed through the power of a Pantheon weapon. Neither Ming Yu nor Hofner could control it completely.
Ice and wind eroded each other on the field, yet they also merged. The battlefield under the blizzard became increasingly dangerous.
*Clang!*
The translucent longsword clashed fiercely with the cyan short sword, but they separated upon contact, showing no intention of getting entangled.
Sidestepping the other short sword that followed closely behind, Ming Yu's gaze quickly swept over the frost that appeared where the short sword and Ice Haotian had connected. He swung the ice blade in his right hand forward, and as he slashed out several icicles, his figure immediately retreated backward.
His twin swords swiftly shattered the icicles into dust. A flash of anger crossed Hofner's eyes, and his body once again lunged towards Ming Yu, who had created some distance, while shouting loudly, "Coward! If you're a man, face me head-on!"
Hearing Hofner's taunt, Ming Yu sneered, completely unmoved in his heart.
The one who stands at the end is the winner, the one who gets to decide everything. What's the use of empty boasts now? Besides, this Kaslana's taunting ability was so weak; for Ming Yu, who had once witnessed the glory of Zaun, it was utterly unimpressive.
The effect of the environment on both sides was equal, and to prepare for this battle, Ming Yu's Soul-Etching Armor had been specifically modified for cold resistance. So he wasn't in a hurry; he just needed to last longer than his opponent.
To better utilize the power of the environment, he had even switched his main weapon to Ice Haotian, using only his almost numb left hand to control Jizo Mitama.
Compared to Ming Yu, Hofner's preparations were clearly somewhat lacking. The frost that was beginning to appear on his deep blue armor was proof that he had chosen the wrong equipment. The continuous loss of body heat also made him increasingly agitated, and the leisurely confidence he had at the beginning was gone.
If they were to purely compare combat power, Hofner was undoubtedly stronger than Ming Yu. In a real head-on fight, Ming Yu might not even last five minutes.
But in this special environment, Ming Yu didn't need to fight head-on at all. He just needed to keep stalling for time, and Hofner would naturally be crushed by the blizzard.
Once again exchanging a blow with Hofner, Ming Yu took another kick to the chest, but he also managed to create distance from Hofner again, his figure once more hidden in the goose-feather-like blizzard.
"Damn it!"
Feeling the continuously dropping temperature, Hofner couldn't help but curse inwardly. While Elf Sword granted him speed, it also made the ambient temperature drop faster.
But even so, he could never stop the Wind Barrier. If he lost his home field advantage, his chances of winning would only be lower!
But continuing like this was not a solution. Although Hofner could quickly find the constantly hiding Ming Yu, he was never able to deal enough damage, and Ming Yu would quickly seize an opportunity to escape again.
Staring at the vast white expanse before him, frustration and anger surged in Hofner's heart. The cyan short swords trembled slightly, and a dazzling turquoise brilliance began to flicker on them.
"Storm!"
Hofner roared, and the cyan short swords instantly erupted with light. A violent gust of wind poured out from them, and the heavy snow in a radius of several dozen meters was instantly cleared, revealing the conspicuous figure of Ming Yu.
"Caught you, little mouse!"
With a savage grin, Hofner tapped his toes, and his body flitted forward like a gentle breeze. In an instant, he was in front of Ming Yu, a cyan short sword aimed straight for his throat.
A hint of panic flashed in his crimson eyes. In that split second, Ming Yu only had time to block with Ice Haotian in front of him, but the surprising short sword sent it flying, and it fell to the ground. The replica spirit blade's translucent body trembled nonstop, letting out a painful cry.
"It's over!"
A trace of pity flashed in Hofner's eyes, but at this point, he had no way out. He was, after all, Hofner Kaslana!
The other cyan short sword swung down from above towards Ming Yu's head, as if to split him completely in two. The blade had not yet arrived, but the sharp sword wind had already reached him. The cyan wind blade split open the terrifying demon-faced mask, revealing the young face beneath.
And on that still-childish face, there was... calm!
Startled, Hofner's eyes instantly widened. Reflected in the deep blue of his eyes was a single, flame-like crimson feather.
"The 8th Divine Key, Fenghuang Down."
A new light appeared in the eyes of the Overseer on the high platform as he slowly uttered these words.
His left hand opened, and the black longsword fell straight down, only to be caught in a reverse grip by Ming Yu's right hand in an instant. The slightly reddened blade stabbed straight towards Hofner's chest.
After a moment's distraction, Hofner quickly reacted. A fierce look flashed in his eyes, and the cyan light on his short sword instantly solidified as he unhesitatingly slashed down at Ming Yu.
Even with a part of the Eighth Divine Key, Ming Yu could only make Hofner momentarily dazed, far from Fu Hua's power to invade a Herrscher's consciousness. But for him, this was enough.
On the pure white ground covered in snow, a dazzling red light suddenly erupted. Sinister demonic figures emerged from the void, their crimson eyes staring straight at the white-haired Kaslana youth.
Unbeknownst to him, under the cover of the heavy snow, the power of the Key of Corruption had already spread throughout the entire field. But under the interference of the low temperature, Hofner had completely failed to notice it.
"So this is the power of the 12th Divine Key, the Key of Corruption?"
A trace of eagerness appeared in the Overseer's turquoise eyes as he murmured softly.
A red light flashed from the ink-black sword's body, but the cyan light on Hofner's Elf Sword completely dissipated. Even his blue armor became dim and lackluster, clearly having lost all function.
Jizo Mitama, with its supreme corrosive power, was the greatest trump card in Ming Yu's hand.
"It's over!"
A trace of smugness flashed in his crimson eyes as Ming Yu said in a low voice.
With his armor and weapons completely disabled, the imbalance of power caused Hofner's body to lose control for a moment. Although he would soon be able to regain his balance, it was already too late.
With a squelching sound, the black longsword had already pierced through his chest. The once strong and powerful body lost all sensation in an instant.
Dark red blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and Hofner's wide-open eyes were full of unwillingness.
"Who... on earth are you?"
His moving lips trembled as he voiced the question in his heart. Hofner finally realized that there was something unusual about Ming Yu, but the darkness encroaching on his vision had already deprived him of the right to hear the answer.
Flicking the blood from Jizo Mitama, Ming Yu extended his left hand to catch the almost burnt-out crimson feather, his gaze resting on the Kaslana at his feet.
"Did you think that you could bring about the rise of Kaslana just by winning?"
Feeling the exhaustion in his body, Ming Yu couldn't help but sigh.
This so-called selection for the wielder of the Key of Domination, and the establishment of the so-called fourth S-rank Valkyrie, was a setup by Otto from the very beginning. Or rather, for that Overseer, it was nothing more than an experiment, a game for his amusement.
The fallen and disgraced Kaslanas might need a hero, but it would never be Hofner.
In terms of inherent combat power, Ming Yu was naturally inferior to Hofner. The Kaslana bloodline and education were not something Ming Yu could catch up to in less than a year.
But he possessed two Divine Keys, Fenghuang Down and Jizo Mitama, at the same time. This was purely a case of being crushed by superior equipment. Moreover, that feather even contained a wisp of Fu Hua's will.
In this battle, Ming Yu was never alone from the start.
But there was one person who had seen through everything at a glance. So even when Ming Yu was at a disadvantage, he still determined that Ming Yu's victory was obvious.
Otto was far more dangerous than he had previously imagined!
Looking up at the blond man on the high platform who was smiling and applauding him, Ming Yu couldn't help but narrow his eyes.