Surprise Attack

Everyone knows that [Mystery] 6 is more powerful than [Mystery] 5, but Mystics who haven't reached a certain realm aren't quite clear on exactly where that power lies.

Low-tier individuals might think it's just like the lower tiers—a simple four-fold increase in base stats.

In reality, the transition from [Mystery] 5 to 6 is a massive hurdle.

On the surface, a [Mystery] 6 undergoes a more severe mutation, looking less human and exploiting their own [Mystery] on a much deeper level.

But that is the result, not the process.

Many Mystics around [Mystery] 4 still haven't figured out why weird materials are required during a rank advancement. They only know they need to use them, but not why.

Actually, every time a weird material is used, it acts like installing a plug-in into their bodies, allowing the Mystic to wield power that surpasses the limits of their species.

Upon reaching [Mystery] 3, the body begins to struggle under the strain. This is when the [Ritual] comes into play. The [Ritual] helps clear out useless memory, squeezing one's potential to the absolute limit.

Those lacking in talent have a potential that caps at [Mystery] 4, which is why they fail when trying to advance to [Mystery] 5.

At [Mystery] 5, the number of plug-ins the body can endure has practically reached its limit. Any more, and the body will collapse due to cellular incompatibility.

At this stage, a [Blessing] is needed to help them pull through.

Under the grace of a [Blessing], the breakthrough candidate's limits are forcefully expanded, allowing them to step into an entirely new realm.

Therefore, going from [Mystery] 5 to [Mystery] 6 isn't just about gaining another powerful plug-in. More importantly, during the [Blessing], a qualitative change occurs—a true sublimation.

On another note.

Anyone capable of disturbing celestial phenomena is at least a [Mystery] 6, but conversely, not every [Mystery] 6 can influence the weather.

The reason [City-Burying Mourning] could intimidate the Big Three of Sixiang City with just his name is that he isn't an ordinary [Mystery] 6; he is a [Mystery] 6 capable of manipulating the weather.

Without the ability to manipulate the weather, one is merely individually strong. No matter how strong an individual is, if they can't be beaten directly, they can be worn down, and if they can't be worn down, there are always ways to stall them.

But once personal [Mystery] triggers the forces of heaven and earth, it is no longer something human power can resist.

The fearsome reputation of [City-Burying Mourning] stems from the fact that he once wiped out two cities. Despite the staggering amount of blood debts and karma he carries, he is still alive and well today, which speaks volumes about his terrifying strength.

If Dawn had followed her original plan and continued down the path of storms during her advancement, she could have also triggered minor weather phenomena, whipping up small tornadoes and wreaking havoc in the city.

However, if she had done that, it would have taken her a very long time before she could engulf an entire city in her winds.

But now, using the power of the atmosphere for the first time, even she was astounded.

She knew the atmosphere would be strong, but she hadn't expected it to be this strong.

On the night of the Frost Moon, [City-Burying Mourning] had used the moon's freezing temperatures to gather the clouds in the sky, directly freezing the water vapor within them into snow.

Dawn directly manipulated the atmosphere, forcefully adjusting the weather and actually blowing the clouds apart!

With the clouds dispersed, where would the snow come from?

[City-Burying Mourning], encased head to toe in bubbles, had a gloomy expression on his excessively pale face.

He had met his match.

Even if he expended immense effort to gather the snow clouds over the city again, his opponent could just blow them away once more.

"It seems I'll have to take care of you first."

[City-Burying Mourning] was a seasoned veteran of many battles. He immediately changed his strategy—only by driving Dawn away or wounding her could he continue his previous plan to destroy the city.

"Is that so? I was thinking the exact same thing." Dawn had been bottling up a lot of frustration lately and was itching for a good fight.

"Snow Burial!" [City-Burying Mourning] opened with his ultimate move.

This was a common habit among Mystics: strike first to gain the upper hand, for he who strikes second suffers. If you're going to make a move, you go for the kill.

The main cloud cover had been blown away, but it wasn't completely gone.

The sky full of heavy snow seemed to be drawn in, falling from the heavens like countless feather blades, enveloping Dawn from all sides.

Chen Miemie thought this move wasn't all that impressive.

In his impression, this kind of scattered attack was dazzling and spectacular, but it was all flash and no substance. It was numerous but lacked focus—a flashy but useless technique only good for clearing out fodder, entirely unsuited for one-on-one combat.

The members of the [Court of the Silver Moon] on the rooftop were currently backed by the entire intelligence network of Sixiang City. They had already gathered as much intel on [City-Burying Mourning] as possible.

Cassan temporarily acted as Chen Miemie's commentator.

"'Snow Burial' is his signature move. It fires a massive barrage of snowflakes at an enemy target that absolutely cannot be destroyed, deflected, or stopped."

The ahoge on Chen Miemie's head perked up. "Isn't it still just snow? They're already [Mystery] 6. Forget snow, even if it rained knives, it wouldn't be a big deal, right?"

Cassan wasn't optimistic in the slightest:

"The nature of snow isn't sharpness or hardness, but extreme cold. After the first snowflake of 'Snow Burial' hits and melts, an irreversible 'termination sequence' is activated. From then on, regardless of whether he actively controls it, a blizzard will naturally generate and expand around the target until they are completely frozen, covered, and buried."

"Oh." Chen Miemie understood. It was an ability that dealt continuous frost damage.

Dawn had no time to check the intel coming through her wristwatch. At this moment, she was fighting purely on her own combat experience.

"Atmospheric Shield!" This was her countermove.

The high-altitude atmosphere rapidly swept in, forming a localized atmospheric layer right above her head.

The atmospheric layer blocked the blizzard, keeping it at bay.

Dawn wasn't surprised by this result. According to the previous yellow subtitle's description, this atmospheric shield could withstand even small meteorites, let alone a blizzard.

"It's impolite not to return a favor. You try this." Dawn didn't even bother calling out her move's name. She simply clapped her hands together in the direction of [City-Burying Mourning] in a squeezing motion.

A silent, invisible atmospheric pressure materialized around [City-Burying Mourning], squeezing the bubbles encasing him and warping them wildly out of shape.

It was as if a pair of giant, invisible hands were trying to flatten him.

[City-Burying Mourning] was startled. The attack was silent and invisible. If it weren't for the multiple layers of bubbles and the hula hoop around him, he probably would have been hit before even noticing, swatted right out of the sky.

His reaction was swift, instantly analyzing the true nature of the atmospheric pressure.

"An impressive move. I can see your abilities somewhat counter mine, but counters are mutual. Just a few tricks like this won't defeat me."

[City-Burying Mourning] wasn't bluffing.

The essence of air pressure is temperature difference. [City-Burying Mourning] uniformly lowered the temperature within a sufficient radius down to the freezing point, drastically reducing the temperature difference and thus neutralizing Dawn's attack.

The two exchanged blows high above, their battle producing visual and sound effects that could be seen from miles away.

The people of Sixiang City wanted to help, but the problem was that very few of them could fly. Moreover, even if they could fly, unless they were incredibly strong, they had no right to intervene in a battle between two [Mystery] 6 experts.

In terms of abilities, Dawn was stronger than [City-Burying Mourning], but she had only just broken through and hadn't fully adapted to her new strength. Furthermore, the bubbles on [City-Burying Mourning]—which his two teammates had traded their lives for—were incredibly annoying to deal with.

The two entered a state of stalemate.

Neither side wanted to see a stalemate.

[Funeral City's Mourning] did not want to drag the battle out until the Frost Moon ended; once the sun rose, his strength would drop by eighty or ninety percent.

On the other hand, Dawn had not yet secured a victory. Being tied down meant she lacked the energy to completely eradicate the extreme cold phenomenon that was turning the entire city into snowmen.

Even as the two fought, the snowmen had already begun to cause casualties.

Just as both sides were searching for a breakthrough, a sneaky figure circled around and quietly flew up behind [Funeral City's Mourning].

The members of the [Court of the Silver Moon] on the rooftop were completely stunned.

This kid Chen Miemie, what guts!

To actually dare to ambush a [Mystery] 6!

Everyone tried desperately to manage their facial expressions, terrified that their shock would give him away.

Dawn had the clearest view.

Out of sheer shock, the pupils of her goat-like eyes shrank into extremely thin horizontal slits.

The tacit understanding between teacher and student manifested in this very moment.

Dawn intensified her efforts, launching a frenzied assault to draw as much of [Funeral City's Mourning]'s attention as possible.

Squelch!

An ice-clad hand, ignoring the multiple layers of protective bubbles, pierced straight through [Funeral City's Mourning]'s chest from behind.

As the icy hand was withdrawn, grasped tightly in its palm was a still-beating heart.