Chapter 346 - Simps and Pick-Me Girl
Han Wu and Meng Qi arrived in haste and found the three Aquamarine Wave representatives surrounding Leng Ning. Their intent was clear: they meant to seize the Skill Leng Ning had already claimed for herself.
Han Wu’s sudden appearance made them tense. They had seen his matches and knew he was strong enough to defeat the three Violet Demon representatives. None of them wanted to test him directly. Still, they were inside a vault overseen by the Association of Academies, where Skills with destructive power above a certain limit were prohibited. That restriction gave them a sliver of hope.
The female Aquamarine Wave representative spoke in a deliberately affectionate tone. “Brother Han, this is between me and her. You don’t need to interfere. Please, leave us be.”
Han Wu rolled his eyes. “You three are ganging up on my companion, yet I’m not allowed to interfere? What kind of logic is that? I’ll give you a chance to walk away, or I’ll fight.”
The Aquamarine Wave representatives were taken aback. Han Wu left no room for negotiation.
“We are the Aquamarine Wave Academy’s representatives. Even if your academy got lucky and took first place, don’t think you can bully us.” The leader spoke with the arrogance typical of a student from a long-established, prestigious academy.
“And what if I do? What will you do about it?”
Anger flashed across the three faces. Since threats failed to sway him, they decided to change tactics.
The girl raised her voice into a falsely sweet, high-pitched lilt. “Han Wu, you misunderstand. I sensed that Skill first, but she grabbed it before I could. I trust that you’re fair-minded and know what to do now.”
Leng Ning froze, her expression twisting with disgust. She had been the one who first sensed the Skill and secured it. Yet this girl was twisting the truth, trying to frame her in order to steal it.
Han Wu let out a low chuckle. “If she took it first, that means she sensed it first. The Skill belongs to her, not you. Don’t tell me you can’t grasp a simple logic like that.”
The female Aquamarine Wave representative cursed him inwardly but forced a sweet tone. “But I rweally[1] want it... Brother Han, please pity me and persuade her to return the Skill...”
The two male Aquamarine Wave representatives quickly joined in.
“She’s already begging you. Hurry and give her back the Skill.”
“Are you still a man if you let a weak girl beg on your behalf?”
Leng Ning finally saw how well simps and pick-me girls complemented each other. In her mind, the Aquamarine Wave Academy deserved a new name: Simp Academy.
Han Wu laughed at them with open disdain. “Are you idiots? You think I’ll hand over the Skill just because she’s begging? She means nothing to me. I’m here to support Leng Ning, not to stomach your disgusting act. It makes me sick.”
The three Aquamarine Wave representatives frowned. Never before had anyone scolded them so harshly.
Meng Qi chimed in, “If you’re trying to use a honeypot tactic, at least check a mirror first. You’ve got no curves, no chest, no ass—just a glorified stick. Maybe try eating more.”
The female representative nearly collapsed from humiliation. She had always taken pride in her slender figure, yet Meng Qi dismissed her as malnourished. Her two male companions bristled with anger. To them, she was the most perfect woman in the world, and they refused to let the insult pass.
Meng Qi had managed to enrage all three at once, and they attacked without hesitation. “Combined Skill: Tri-Water Prison!”
A sphere of water formed around Han Wu and his companions, sealing them inside.
The leader shouted, “This is a water prison forged from our combined strength. Even Superior Masters cannot escape. You have two choices: surrender the Skill or drown.”
The girl nodded in agreement. “Brother Han, don’t even think about releasing your powerful Skill. This is the vault of the Association of Academies. If you destroy it, even the Azure Sea Academy wouldn’t be able to compensate for them.”
The other representative laughed. “The competition winners mean nothing to us. You should be glad you didn’t face us, or we would’ve taken first place.”
The trio struggled as the water prison tried to force itself into their noses and mouths. The liquid felt alive, relentless in its attempt to suffocate them.
With one hand over his face, Han Wu pressed against the walls and found them pliable. Brute force alone wouldn’t break through. He needed another way.
Meng Qi floated in the water and blinked rapidly at the others, signaling them to act quickly.
Han Wu met Leng Ning’s eyes, and they both nodded. Leng Ning released Frost Dragon Blizzard. A surge of icy air burst from her body, freezing the Tri-Water Prison into a rigid triangular block. Together, they shattered the ice and escaped.
Shards of ice clung to Meng Qi as he staggered forward and coughed up water. “You dare attack us without warning? Don’t blame us for what comes next.”
He then activated every Skill he possessed and charged like an unstoppable juggernaut. Golden Bell, Imperial Yellow Jacket, Dragon Armor, Bronze Skin, and Iron Bones turned him into a fortress of flesh and steel.
The Aquamarine Wave representatives were no pushovers. As students of a prestigious academy, they possessed more Skills beyond the Tri-Water Prison.
Their leader conjured a trident of surging water, the girl formed a gleaming seashell of water, and the other male student snapped a whip shaped from flowing currents. The three prepared to strike, but Han Wu unleashed Life Dragon Domain.
The crushing pressure shattered their focus and dissolved the weapons before they could land a blow. Leng Ning followed with the Eight Path Frost Domain, and the trio’s water and bodies froze in an instant, leaving them trapped as ice sculptures.
At that moment, a sudden round of applause echoed from the shadows.
Han Wu and his companions turned to see Su Mei rounding the corner, accompanied by Ding Shanhai and Xue Qian.
“What an interesting combination,” Su Mei said. “Han Wu, your new Skill is impressive. Leng Ning, your Skill is overwhelmingly powerful, and you timed it perfectly.”
Meng Qi finally laid eyes on Su Mei again and stared at her, dazed. “What about me?”
Though she considered his Skills underwhelming, Su Mei offered a small compliment. “Meng Qi, you’re very tanky.”
Han Wu swore he saw Meng Qi’s pupils form a heart shape as he murmured, “Hehe... She praised me for being tanky.”
Han Wu and Leng Ning exchanged exasperated glances at his simplicity.
Han Wu turned back to Su Mei. “What brings you here? Trying to steal our Skills too?”
Leng Ning was already gathering energy for a powerful strike, while Meng Qi remained lost in the thrill of Su Mei’s praise, entirely unprepared.
1. Intentionally left it as a cute way of saying it. ☜