Another World: When a Necromancer Possesses the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls

In the first round, the tactical annihilation by four skeletons brought down Wei Hai, a heavily armored warrior known for his defense and strength.

In the second match, right before everyone's eyes, he directly defeated Wang Yan, a fire mage known for his destructive power, by exchanging pure ranged spells.

What kind of strength is this?

Is that a necromancer?!

That necromancer who could only summon fragile skeletons in the early stages and was looked down upon by everyone?!

Those previously mocking, jealous, and expectant gazes had completely changed. Shock, astonishment, disbelief... ultimately coalesced into a heavy silence. They stared at the calm young man on the arena, and at the cratered ground beneath his feet, ravaged by elemental energy.

"Gulp." Someone swallowed hard, the sound particularly clear in the silence.

"He...didn't use any summoned creatures..."

"All of them were instant cast... Death Arrow instant cast... Bone Shield instant cast... and the last five consecutive casts..."

"Wang Yan trained with Lin Wei! His fireball and shield techniques were practiced with her!"

"Star Power... Just how much Star Power does he have? Two matches in a row... such a casting frequency."

Whispers spread like a plague, each word filled with complex emotions. The jealousy and resentment they had felt towards Li Xingyao for being from a "public family," "having no parents," and "getting A-level status by sheer luck" were shattered in the face of these two battles.

Instead, there is an instinctive awe of the strong. In this era where strength reigns supreme, power is the ultimate truth.

"Star Glory!" Chen Hao was the first to react, excitedly rushing up the steps at the edge of the arena, waving his hands vigorously, "So cool! So damn cool! Five arrows broke the shield! The last arrow was a finishing blow! Amazing!" He was so excited that he danced around, even happier than if he had won himself.

"I didn't expect it either. I just felt that the timing was good, and the continuous Death Arrows were one of my ultimate moves."

Li Xingyao nodded to him, a faint smile appearing on his face, but his eyes remained calm. He raised his wrist, his gaze falling on the light screen projected by his watch.

[Number of wins: 2. Points earned: 30 (higher opponent rating in this match, bonus points). Current total points: 50.]

[Item already saved for redemption: [Ghost Bone Amulet], Required Points: 850. Status: Locked.]

We're one step closer to our goal.

50 points. He silently calculated the time and efficiency. There wasn't much time left in the morning.

Without the slightest hesitation, fingertips rapidly tapped on the virtual screen. Register! Continue!

[Registration successful! Arena assigned: #9. Opponent matching in progress... Estimated wait time: 5 minutes.]

"Again?" Chen Hao looked at Li Xingyao's actions, opened his mouth, and finally let out a wry smile with admiration, "Alright, your Star Energy... I'm impressed." He shook his head, leaned against the railing by the arena, and prepared to continue watching the match.

He suddenly realized that beneath Li Xingyao's calm exterior lay not only unfathomable stellar energy, but also a kind of obsession and dedication to his goals.

Just as Li Xingyao closed his eyes to rest and recover from his exhaustion during this brief waiting time, a clear, melodious, yet sweet female voice pierced through the noise below the arena and clearly entered his ears.

"Li Xingyao, classmate."

Li Xingyao opened his eyes.

Below the ring, in the crowd.

Lin Wei stood there. Her perfectly tailored, fiery red training uniform accentuated her snow-white skin, and her long, chestnut-brown curly hair cascaded casually over her shoulders. Her delicate features were breathtakingly beautiful in the bright light. Unlike the other students, she didn't show excitement or awe. Her beautiful eyes calmly looked at Li Xingyao, a hint of scrutiny and…interest deep within them?

"Your combat rhythm and spell control," Lin Wei's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly overwhelmed the surrounding noise, carrying a genuine sense of affirmation, "especially the timing of your final strike, which was quite impressive." She paused slightly, as if carefully choosing her words, "Wang Yan is my classmate, and I know his strength very well. You won beautifully."

Li Xingyao remained silent, simply looking back at her calmly, waiting for her to continue. This campus goddess and top elemental mage's initiative to speak to her was certainly not just for a compliment.

Sure enough, Lin Wei smiled and smiled, a faint smile that was enough to make the boys around her hold their breath. She then changed the subject: "Are you interested in coming to Training Ground No. 1 after lunch break?"

"I've been practicing a variation of a fire spell lately, and I'm missing a sparring partner who can provide enough pressure and is tough enough." Her gaze swept over Li Xingyao, seemingly recalling his several unsummoned "skeletons." "Your summoned creatures' defensive and restraining abilities, as well as your own reaction speed, might... be a good fit."

A sparring partner?

Is the object of his affections Lin Wei?

A variant of fire magic?

A hush fell over the room. Everyone pricked up their ears, their eyes darting back and forth between Li Xingyao and Lin Wei, filled with shock and excited gossip. This was Lin Wei's invitation! An opportunity so many people dreamed of!

Li Xingyao's heart seemed to skip a beat for a moment. It wasn't because of Lin Wei's beauty or goddess aura, but because of the information revealed in her words—a variant of fire magic! This was invaluable experience in itself, given his understanding of the use of elemental power! Not to mention the high-end resources and connections that Lin Wei might represent…

Huge potential benefits.

Countless thoughts flashed through my mind in a flash.

The watch vibrated, and a notification sounded: [Opponent match complete: Zhang Meng (Earth Mage - Elementalist Class 2). Please enter and prepare.]

A new competitor has arrived.

Li Xingyao took a deep breath, suppressing the turbulent thoughts in his heart. He looked at Lin Wei below the arena, her face, which could captivate countless hearts, now reflected in his eyes.

"Lin Wei," his voice was calm, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, "I need to finish this match." He pointed to the rising force field barrier, "I'll give you an answer during lunch break."

After saying that, he stopped looking at Lin Wei, turned around, and calmly looked at Zhang Meng, the earth mage on the other side of the arena, who was burly and eager to fight.

The force field barrier closed silently, isolating the inside from the outside once again.

Lin Wei watched Li Xingyao's back as he turned without hesitation to face his next opponent, her delicate eyebrows twitching almost imperceptibly. He neither excitedly agreed immediately nor made excuses to refuse; instead, he decisively chose to finish his current battle first, temporarily postponing her invitation. This intensified her interest.

"Heh," she chuckled softly, her meaning ambiguous. Without another word, she turned and left the crowd, gracefully departing under the gazes of those who admired or adored her.

Meanwhile, Li Xingyao on the arena faced a new challenge—the Earth Mage Zhang Meng. His eyes were focused, but a wisp of thought lingered in his mind.

The points for the Ghost Bone Amulet are decreasing.

Lin Wei's invitation remains unresolved.

The force field barrier gradually dissipated, leaving behind fine dust stirred up by energy fluctuations on arena number nine. A faint, earthy scent filled the air—the traces of battle left by the Earth Mage Zhang Meng.

Li Xingyao stood in the center of the arena, his chest rising and falling uncontrollably, each breath pulling at the muscles in his ribs that ached slightly. Sweat trickled down his temples from his forehead. He slowly closed his eyes, circulating his "Circulation Technique" to soothe the pricking dizziness caused by the excessive consumption of his mental energy.

The battle that just ended was very difficult. Zhang Meng, the Earth Mage from Class 2 of the Elemental Department, had an initial Star Energy rating of B+, but he was an extremely troublesome opponent. He was well-versed in the essence of the Earth Mage's early-game "control and attrition" strategy.

At the start of the battle, he constructed layers upon layers of incredibly thick rock armor, enveloping himself like a mobile fortress. At the same time, he continuously summoned sharp earth spikes at key locations on the arena, restricting Li Xingyao's movement space and the charging routes of his summoned creatures.

Even more deadly is his unpredictable [Muddy Swamp] – although it is only a rudimentary form with limited effect and small range, each precise release at the feet of Li Xingyao or the skeleton warrior can cause instantaneous sluggishness and instability.

Li Xingyao had to frequently command the skeleton warriors to dodge attacks, while continuously casting [Death Arrow] for ranged strikes, attempting to tear through the solid defense.

The battle turned into a war of attrition and armor-piercing. Finally, during a gap in Zhang Meng's skill combo when he attempted to reinforce his rock armor, Li Xingyao seized the opportunity. He commanded two skeleton warriors to unleash a series of slashes, combined with his own charged [Death Arrow], finally shattering Zhang Meng's core rock armor. The immense impact forced Zhang Meng back several steps, exposing an opening, whereupon a flanking skeleton warrior pressed a rusty sword against his throat. He won, but it was a grueling victory.

With more than half of their star energy depleted, and their minds exhausted from being under immense stress, they were also feeling extremely fatigued.

"Starlight!"

Chen Hao's voice, tinged with excitement and a barely perceptible hint of concern, came from below the stage. He practically leaped up just as the barrier disappeared, patting Li Xingyao's shoulder forcefully, as if trying to convey his excitement. "Now let's see who dares say necromancers are weak in early-game assaults! Your ranged firepower combined with summoned creatures is simply a weapon of mass destruction!"

Li Xingyao twitched the corners of his mouth; the difficulty of the actual combat far exceeded his expectations, revealing a tired but sincere smile. Chen Hao's excitement was genuine, and this recognition warmed his heart. He raised his wrist, and the smartwatch's pale blue screen automatically lit up.

[Battle Statistics Update]

Number of wins: 3 (One new win, against Zhang Meng)

New points added: 20 Current total points: 70

Redemption target locked: Ghost Bone Amulet (Required points: 850)

70 points, still 780 points short. The progress wasn't slow, but he subconsciously rubbed his throbbing temples. The battle this morning, with its high-intensity mental exertion of constantly calculating the opponent's defenses, dodging spells, and precisely commanding summoned creatures, was far more grueling than simply casting spells.