Demon Sword Style - Hundred Flowers Technique

"Alright, the match is resuming. The 80%- %-health Total Darkness is battling the full-health Ninja Dark Forest. Let's turn our attention to the match."

After observing the first round, although Li Hua was angry, he didn't dare underestimate Liu Hao, so he remained extra cautious. He moved to the centre of the map and started probing left and right, using shurikens to harass and attack.

The ninja class could be more robust in close combat. Its speciality lies in stealth, then emerging from an unexpected place to unleash a burst of damage on the target before retreating. This is a common strategy for ninjas.

Seeing that his opponent dared not come forward but was only watching from a distance and using shurikens to harass him, Liu Hao decided to change his strategy.

Over the past week, he combined Sun Zheping's Berserker tactics, the characteristics of the Demon Swordsman, and his predictive abilities to develop a set of tactics specifically targeting melee classes. Liu Hao called it the Dark Body Technique Flow.

The Dark Body Technique Flow uses dark wave skills like Evil Light Slash and Ghost Seal Pearl, interspersed with regular attacks. Darkwave skills have a short start-up time, quick cooldown, and considerable damage. This novel strategy completely overwhelmed Sun Liang, who had no experience countering it, leading to his severe defeat.

Li Hua felt he might lose in close combat against Liu Hao, so he tried to find an opportunity to sneak attack. But Liu Hao's dynamic vision was powerful, always accurately locking onto Dark Forest.

Since Li Hua didn't initiate an attack, Liu Hao launched one himself, with his short sword gathering ice-blue waves.

Seeing this, Li Hua quickly used the ninja technique of burrowing to hide underground. In the previous round, Liu Hao's close combat abilities were so impressive that Li Hua almost forgot the Demon Swordsman was a mid-range class, with wave swords having a long attack range.

Total Darkness burrowed underground, quickly advancing. To deal with a Demon Swordsman, close combat suppression was indeed necessary.

Just when everyone thought Liu Hao would abandon casting the Frost Wave Sword because he had lost sight of the target, he suddenly lowered his view and slashed the Sword into the ground.

Liu Hao wasn't aiming to attack the hidden Dark Forest but to conceal himself.

"Frost Fog Concealment!" the commentator recognised the move, a second development of Liu Hao's Frost Wave Sword, creating an effect similar to the ninja's smoke bomb.

"Dark Forest has lost his target!"

In the ice-blue smoke, Dark Forest suddenly used the Earth Core Beheading technique. His sharp ninja blade slashed at the remembered position, aimed for Total Darkness's throat.

Li Hua had already prepared a series of follow-up combos. If the Earth Core Beheading hit, he could deal at least 30% damage with a combo.

However, after swinging the ninja blade, he didn't hear the sound of hitting or cutting flesh, only the sound of cutting through the air.

"What's going on?" Li Hua was stunned. Why didn't it hit? According to his memory, Total Darkness should be standing there after casting the Frost Wave Sword. He couldn't have gotten it wrong.

Could it be that Total Darkness moved? It's impossible. He didn't hear any footsteps, indicating that Total Darkness didn't move. His attack shouldn't have been missed.

"Fog Concealment, Silent Killing Technique!" someone shouted, and the crowd erupted.

Naruto is a globally popular anime featuring a character named Zabuza who mastered a silent assassination technique, killing without making a sound in the mist. No one expected to see such a scene recreated in an official match.

The fight between Total Darkness and Dark Forest in the icy fog looked like a duel between two elite ninjas.

The fog quickly dissipated, revealing Total Darkness's short sword piercing through Dark Forest's chest from behind.

"Why? Why is Total Darkness behind me? I didn't hear any footsteps!" Li Hua was shocked. Could it be that Total Darkness has a way to silence his footsteps?

Then, Dark Forest was launched into the air with an upward slash. Usually, after being launched, the opponent can follow up with a combo. But ninjas don't fear being launched; they are highly mobile and have plenty of escape skills.

Total Darkness's short sword gathered golden waves, signalling the start-up of the Flash Wave Sword skill. Li Hua quickly performed hand signs, and the Shadow Clone Technique was instantly released. Ninja skills don't require chanting but hand signs, which depend on the user's hand speed. As Glory's number one ninja, Li Hua's hand speed was naturally fast, completing the hand signs in an instant.

"Dark Forest used the Shadow Clone Technique and appeared behind Total Darkness. Li Hua's reaction was swift—executing a backstab manoeuvre in an instant!" the commentator exclaimed.

Liu Hao smiled slightly, swinging his mouse in a large arc, turning Total Darkness's view sharply behind. A huge black shadow appeared; it was Dark Forest stabbing with a ninja blade.

Li Hua was startled by Total Darkness's turn, his heart racing: "Oh no, my Shadow Clone Technique was predicted!"

The Flash Wave Sword struck, golden waves hitting Dark Forest, pushing him back. Total Darkness began chanting the Flame Wave Sword.

Li Hua saw Total Darkness's actions and tried to move, but he didn't believe he could avoid Liu Hao's prediction. As online comments said, Liu Hao's predictions defied logic.

To seize an opportunity, Li Hua gritted his teeth and used his last movement skill... Substitution Technique!

Ninja skill: replacing oneself with a wooden log, instantly teleporting to any nearby location.

"You can't predict this! I clicked the mouse randomly, even though I don't know where I'll end up!" Li Hua murmured.

Though Liu Hao couldn't predict Li Hua's final teleport point, it didn't hinder his next move. Total Darkness lowered his short sword, and the flames of the Flame Wave Sword hit the ground, raising a wall of fire.

"What's this?" Li Hua was puzzled. Did the Flame Wave Sword hit him? No, Total Darkness released it onto the ground like the Frost Wave Sword. Wasn't this a waste of a skill? Knowing it wouldn't hit, why not cancel it to reduce cooldown and save some mana?

"Wait!" Li Hua suddenly panicked. Did Liu Hao really waste the Flame Wave Sword? The wall of fire blocked his view; he couldn't see Total Darkness's actions!

Li Hua thought this looked familiar. Oh, it's like Zhang Jiale's Hundred Flowers Style from last season. His grenades also created fire, blocking vision.

Was Liu Hao mimicking Zhang Jiale? Impossible, Zhang Jiale's Hundred Flowers Style was unique to Ammo Experts. How could a Demon Swordsman do it?

The firewall dissipated, revealing Total Darkness chanting a skill, the Immovable King Formation, already complete!

In the next second, Dark Forest was trapped in the Immovable King Formation. Numerous light orbs moved randomly and hit Dark Forest.

Liu Hao recently developed this Flame Wave Sword firewall technique. Like the Frost Wave Sword, it uses a specific angle to create a firewall that blocks the enemy's view and hides long chant skills.

Zhang Jiale's Hundred Flowers Style inspired Liu Hao, who mimicked it to create his own Demon Sword Style—Hundred Flowers Technique.

Liu Hao collected tactics from various masters, studied them, and combined them with his understanding to develop three Demon Sword techniques.

The first is the melee-focused Dark Body Technique Flow, inspired by Sun Zheping, with powerful sword techniques for close combat.

The second is the Demon Sword Hundred Flowers Style, developed to cast spells without interruption. It was inspired by Zhang Jiale, who used a Frost or Flame Wave Sword and boots with [Silence] to hide himself and possibly cover teammates.

The third, thanks to Chu Yunxiu, involves Elemental Flow tactics. She shared insights on Elemental Mage techniques, allowing Liu Hao to develop an Elemental Burst Flow suitable for mid-range support or burst damage.

Historically, the Demon Swordsman's position was awkward. Weak close combat was countered by fast-paced classes like Swordmaster and Battle Mage, and long-range damage was inferior to Gunner and Elemental Mage.

But now, these three tactics enable Liu Hao to handle various classes, minimising class disadvantages.

(End of Chapter)

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