"The competition is just that, a competition," they said, "You just need to focus on your own special features and strengths. Instead of giving up what you're good at to learn the Slashing Blade Sequence's fighting style, it's better to concentrate on the advantages of the Withering Sequence. Fight with full integrity, using strength to break cunning. Even if you can't break through, you can still demonstrate the power of what you've learned and earn the respect of the audience watching their screens."
"With that being said, if another child wants to learn the Withering Sequence, they wouldn't feel inferior or struggle to convince adults." When Tilan reached this point, she remembered the situations she faced when choosing the Withering Sequence: the teacher's discouragement, the classmates' hidden sneers, and only her mother still supporting her without blaming her impulsiveness and rebellion.
The wizards present looked at each other. Although none spoke, a subtle mood began to spread. They had never understood why the black-haired girl was so popular among the students, but now, feeling her understanding and tolerance, they couldn't help being touched.
If only there were more people like her in the real world, they thought, and so they no longer tried to show off the moves used for combat with the Radiant Feather Sequence, instead, they played to their strengths and sparred again.
Three wizards from the 'Death Rose Society' gave Tilan a slight nod, then stepped onto the field, and as they did so, a spreading glow of intricate light patterns appeared beneath their feet.
Soon, a huge Ritual Magic Circle was revealed, and threads and strands of Magic Power rose up, followed by a shrill cry as a pitch-black Spectral Gryphon soared into the air within the magic-infused array, carrying the three wizards through the dome above. If it weren't for the low ceiling, they might have instantly flown hundreds of meters.
In the sound of flapping wings, each wizard recited their self-suggestive Curse Spells, and then black jade Magic Orbs floated in the air, spinning like dark purple, nearly black vortexes.
Not long after, giant eyeballs constructed of transparent flames appeared within these dark purple vortexes. Their pupils shifted, targeting the three people from the enemy camp and suddenly stared with contracted pupils, stiffening the bodies of the three, and then several dazzling beams converged, piercing through them.
Watching their bodies dissipate into black smoky fragments, the wizards riding the black gryphon also knew they had been deceived, for the Withering Sequence excels in Soul Consciousness, using Magic Power to mimic their own Soul Form to create doppelgangers and confound the enemy was a common tactic.
Indeed, as the three initiated another spell to search the entire area, the opposition three appeared in different corners, seemingly prepared for some time. As they revealed themselves, their incantations of Cursing Chants also came to an end.
"Howling Wind, Abyss of Wailing, Land of the Fallen, let the dirge of death resonate at this moment~"
As the three chanted, an inexplicable breeze began to blow within the dark underground battle arena, but upon closer examination, they realized this wind was not from reality, but rather swept through the space inhabited by the Soul Consciousness. As this breeze blew underground, the body began to feel a numbing sensation, slowly losing perception, until they could no longer control their movements, and finally, consciousness started to blur, an overwhelming fatigue and drowsiness spread, and if one were to fall asleep now, it would likely be an eternal slumber without waking.
The effects described above are from the 'Death Trio: Silent Wind' when cast. Normally, a competition wouldn't go as far as the final step, and if the opponent became unable to fight, collapsing to the ground, the fight would be concluded by the referee, as continuing could cause irreversible damage to the soul.
The Withering Sequence's renowned move, needing multiple Transcendents to cast together at Sequence 5, and beyond that, there is the Withering Sequence 6's 'Death Trio: Wail of Sorrow,' and only at Sequence 7 can 'Death Trio: Dance of Demise' be cast, which, it is rumored, once killed an emperor of the Verdant Empire during a stage performance assassination.