Chapter 87: Everyone Engages in Close Combat!
"I'm fine, it's just a pity about Tsunade..." Luo Yong sighed softly.
"That's good," the elven lady nodded, then asked curiously, "But who is Tsunade?"
"She is... ahem, I gave her a special name. If it weren't for her, things would have been very dangerous just now!" Luo Yong took out the Holy Light Angel, cupping her in his palm for the elven lady to see.
"In any case, as long as you're alright." The elven lady took Luo Yong's hand, looked at him intently, and said, "Promise me, don't take any more risks until we accomplish that goal, alright?"
"Uh... actually..."
"Promise me! I know this is a bit selfish, but I really have no other way. Even if there's just a sliver of hope, I'll give everything I have!"
"I know men like adventure—it’s in their nature, they don’t like to be restricted. I’ve even heard that a woman can slow a man’s sword... though I’m not quite sure what that means. But I don’t want to be the one to hold you back. If, after it’s all over, you want to leave, I’ll let you go..."
"Wait!" Luo Yong felt the elven lady’s words were taking an odd turn, as if she was hinting at breaking off their engagement.
He gripped her hand tightly, pulling her into his arms, and with a tone that brooked no argument, said, "I'm a very traditional man. An engagement is something I take seriously. Once a promise is made, how could I go back on it? You're not thinking of going back on your word, are you?"
"I..." The elven lady blushed, looking at Luo Yong, who had suddenly grown serious, and for a moment, she was at a loss.
She had never been this close to a man before!
Their bodies pressed tightly together...
So near she could feel his breath and heartbeat!
Thump! Thump! Thump!
It felt as if a little deer was racing inside her chest, her whole body going weak, unable to muster even an ounce of strength...
"What... what are you trying to do..."
This young human was gazing at her with deep affection.
In his eyes, she saw her own reflection.
But why did that reflection look so terribly red?
His face moved closer, not bothering to answer her question—just moving in.
And finally...
His lips met hers!
That domineering kiss!
Even this ever-proud elf could not help but lose herself in the moment.
Ahem.
A moment later, the elven lady blinked open her eyes, a little dazed, and realized there was something new in her hand.
"Hm... is this... Tsunade?"
She looked at the adorable Holy Light Angel in her palm, then up at Luo Yong with confusion.
"Why are you giving this to me?"
"Having her is my good fortune—just like meeting you," Luo Yong gently stroked her hair, whispering, "I’m giving her to you as a token in return."
"Uh, eh? A... a token?" The elven lady grew bashful, still flustered by Luo Yong’s sudden kiss, her thoughts sluggish and muddled.
"When we marry, there’ll be a proper bride price. Don’t worry, I would never shortchange you," Luo Yong winked.
"Bride... price? That’s not necessary. We elves don’t care about those things. As long as... as long as you’re good to me, that’s enough." The elven lady spoke earnestly, her voice growing softer and softer.
If they weren’t standing so close, her last words would have been almost inaudible.
"Alright, but you don’t need to worry so much about me." Luo Yong glanced around—seeing no one else—and then opened his status panel.
Of course, it was disguised.
If a man told his wife everything, could he still call himself a man?
True, Luo Yong knew that in some places, the custom was to share everything with your wife, and that made you a good man.
But those details were unimportant.
"What is this..." The elven lady looked up to see Luo Yong’s status panel:
Name: Luo Yong
Class: Spellblade
Level: 20
Skills: Wind Blade, Gale Slash, Gravity, Blink, Mental Fortification
Special Technique: Peerless Dance
Ultimate: Reaper’s Domain
...
"Your spells are all over the place," the elven lady gave it a quick scan, lingering a few seconds longer on his Ultimate, then looked around to make sure no one else was watching.
"Put it away. Don’t show your information so casually."
"Alright, but you're not just anyone to me, Baor," Luo Yong replied with a wide grin.
"...No, you can’t see my stats right now," the elven lady said a bit haughtily, pulling herself out of Luo Yong’s embrace.
In broad daylight, if they caused emotional harm to the single, they’d be punished by the gods!
So, caring for single people is everyone’s duty.
...
Lion Isle Secret Realm.
Wendy and the others stood in a line, as if awaiting inspection.
Standing before them were Luo Yong and the elven lady, Yan Baor.
Though their relationship was all but public, they kept a respectful distance in front of the group.
After all, there were children present.
Sally and Viel stood at the end of the line.
To the sage of the elven clan, they were still too young, their instincts not to be suppressed—each lesson brief, with plenty of time left to play.
At this moment, the two were just present to make up the numbers.
"Everyone’s here. Let’s begin," Luo Yong’s gaze swept across the faces of the beautiful team members. He nodded and stepped into the lineup himself.
"Huh? Captain, are you going to learn too?" asked the Storm Sorceress.
"Of course!"
Luo Yong glared at her. He wouldn't have been annoyed if she hadn’t brought it up, but the elven lady had told him, when they first met, about the synergy of secret elixirs and combat techniques, the state of peerlessness among those of equal rank...
Yet, for now, all of that remained out of reach for him!
Anyone would be frustrated in his place, and now someone had to bring it up.
"Luo Yong should learn too. I believe the bottleneck will be solved one day, and then he’ll be able to join the ranks of the strongest," the elven lady said seriously.
"Are you not hot?"
Perhaps it was the strange weather lately, but the barbarian priest, standing across from the elven judge—who wore a cloak and hood at all times—felt an inexplicable restlessness.
"It’s alright. We forest elves... Never mind, I get what you mean," the elven lady shook her head. She’d been about to explain, but she was savvy enough to recognize a roundabout way of speaking.
Some people just can’t say things plainly.
With that, she removed her hood and cloak in front of everyone.
Now she was dressed in ordinary forest elf attire.
But as the saying goes, attractive people look good in anything.
Especially with such exquisite features—
"Wow!"
A chorus of exclamations rang out, and all eyes turned to Luo Yong.
Everyone wondered what luck or virtue he possessed to win the heart of such a stunning elf.
"I need to check out of work soon, so there’s not much time. Let’s start right away," the elven lady, as if anticipating their reaction, didn’t care at all and began teaching some practical combat techniques.
"Hah! Yah!"
Elia swung her little dagger, practicing a few moves, then looked at Luo Yong in confusion. "Captain, aren’t these things only for warriors? We’re mages..."
"Yeah, don’t mages just stand there and cast spells?" The barbarian priest was also skeptical, especially since this elven lady wielded a sword with such grace and power!
"A mage who can’t fight up close isn’t a true... uh, a true what?" the Storm Sorceress wondered aloud.
"It’s always better to know more," Mira chimed in.
"A true mage is a frontline fighter," Luo Yong declared emotionlessly, casually brandishing his longsword. "Don’t think that just because you picked a class and know some spells, that’s enough!"
"The enemies we’ll face aren’t just the monsters in the secret realms. There won’t always be key-spawned spiders or giant trees protecting you."
"Remember last time, when we ran into Ivan? If we hadn’t scared him off with a trick, we might have... No, none of you would have escaped!"
"Do you know? Ivan’s real class is Heavy Cavalier—no dragon, but still an incredibly powerful class. And he’s a melee mage!"
"And he’s not the only one. Since leaving the Highgate Camp, I’ve met many mages of different classes. The true powerhouses all blend magic and martial arts! Like this!"
Whoosh!
As he spoke, Luo Yong sent a Wind Blade toward the farthest teammate—a heavyset man.
The man had improved rapidly lately, able to summon a magic shield instantly.
He didn’t know why Luo Yong suddenly targeted him, but he caught on—
Luo Yong had been deliberately slow in casting, aiming right at him, and after dodging a few times, he couldn’t avoid it.
So, he stopped dodging. When the Wind Blade shot toward him, he put everything into his shield.
Smack!
The Wind Blade struck the shield, sending a powerful force through it. The man staggered but held his ground.
Then, a longsword pressed against his shoulder.
"If this were a battlefield, you’d be dead," Luo Yong's cold voice sounded behind him.