Chapter 26: Such a Strong Combination!
Chenxi didn’t rush to move. His consciousness sank into the illusory system interface.
As expected, the third character slot lit up. Lina’s pixelated character portrait stood quietly there, showing a young blonde girl wearing a simple robe and holding a short staff.
He clicked on the details:
[Character: Lina]
[Class: Holy Light Priest]
[Attributes: Slight]
[Skills:]
[Affinity: 32]
[Healing Prayer (Lv1): Restores a small amount of health to the target. Mana Cost: Low.]
[Holy Light Shield (Lv1): Applies a brief, weak shield to the target that absorbs a small amount of damage. Mana Cost: Low.]
[Dispel Glimmer (Lv1): Has a low chance to dispel a low-level negative status (such as mild poisoning, slow). Mana Cost: Medium.]
Chenxi quickly calculated in his mind.
These panel attributes weren’t very high, far weaker than Hongxu’s straightforward, brutal stats, even weaker than his own.
But this skill tree... The Holy Light Priest class itself was rare.
One healing skill, one shield, and it could even clear debuffs.
It hadn’t even fully developed yet, and it already covered the most crucial aspects of combat: survival and sustain.
And the most crucial part was yet to come.
[Passive:
[Reality: Loved by the Holy Light.]
[Loved by the Holy Light: When affinity reaches 60, after the team leader’s death, Lina can cast a Resurrection spell once.
At an affinity of 80, she can resurrect twice in a row.
At an affinity of 100, the holder of this passive cannot die and can revive infinitely.]
Unbelievable!
This was truly overpowered, but it was something that couldn't be used immediately.
The affinity was only at 32 now—wait a second… is 32 a bit too high?
And now, the real highlight!
[Game Passive: Hated by the Holy Light.]
At the start, apply a shield to all team members that can completely block one attack, and while the shield is active, no negative status can be attached.
When the opponent deals damage in the first round, apply a 3-round, undispellable 20% vulnerability debuff to all of the opponent's characters.]
This was hellish!
It was off the charts!
Chenxi had previously wondered, was this really an SSR card?
It didn’t seem as strong as half of Hongxu’s power. Could this even be called an SSR card?
But after reading the passive, kid!
You are the most fitting SSR card, there’s no one more deserving than you!
Honestly, even if her personality was a little abstract, it was hard to bring himself to hurt her.
This skill set, it was just too good!
Kid, after reading that passive, are you smiling to yourself?
Chenxi was incredibly excited inside, but on the surface, his expression remained calm.
He rubbed his face. There was no one in this world who could make him show his true feelings, except for Hongxu.
But they hadn’t known each other for long.
He felt like he was starting to get a poker face.
...
Chenxi walked at the back, still thinking.
The two mages in the fifth level defeated them effortlessly by relying on high damage and slow control.
If Hongxu could survive one round without dying, he could take out one mage, and then Lina could shield or heal Hongxu, maybe even dispel the slow... The situation would completely change!
There’s a chance!
There’s really a chance!
Chenxi glanced at Lina.
She obediently followed behind Hongxu, gripping her old staff, her head lowered.
At this moment, there was no expression on her face, only the deep exhaustion in her eyes that was especially striking.
“Lina.”
Chenxi spoke up.
Lina looked up at him, calmly waiting for the next command, whatever it may be.
Describing her as obedient felt odd, but... right now, Lina gave him the impression of being obedient.
“How is the mana consumption of your Holy Light spells?”
Chenxi asked directly, the question he had been wondering. He wasn’t sure what her personality was like, but he would gradually figure it out.
For now, he needed to focus on the current situation.
Lina seemed a little surprised by the question, pausing for a moment before answering, “It’s not much.
Casting the basic spells a few times... no problem. It should be enough to last the entire battle.”
Chenxi nodded.
That’s enough.
For the fifth level, how many times can we expect her to take action?
Right now, both he and Hongxu could deal damage, but they couldn’t tank much.
If she could heal even a little, that was enough. If not, her passive abilities alone would be enough.
Returning to his thoughts, Chenxi looked ahead.
They had returned to the seventh level.
The three of them arrived at the entrance of the Bone-Eroding Venom Spider’s lair.
Hongxu muttered curses as she kicked away the rubble blocking the path and the half-handled Bone-Eroding Venom Spiders from earlier. Those guys had appeared suddenly, causing her to fumble.
This one couldn’t be salvaged anymore.
But it didn’t matter. There was no way to carry everything anyway.
Chenxi looked at Lina, “Can you handle this?”
Lina softly replied, “I know some, but I’ve never been to the seventh level before, so I haven’t learned much.”
Chenxi nodded, “That’s enough. Just help collect the spider legs.”
“Okay.”
Hongxu had already started working, swinging her skinning knife toward the largest venom spider’s exoskeleton gap, prying it open with force.
Crack! The shell split, revealing the thick, sticky innards.
“Peel it off, polish it up, and we can sell it for a good price at the blacksmith’s.”
She worked energetically, tearing off chunks of shell, and using her knife to cut off the attached tissue with precision.
Her efficiency was top-notch.
Occasionally, green fluid splashed onto her face, but she simply wiped it off carelessly, not bothered at all.
Chenxi, on the other hand, focused on the venom glands and special organs near the spider’s mouthparts.
These parts were highly poisonous, so handling them required extra caution, but they were also the most valuable. Whether sold to alchemists or potion makers, they were in high demand.
Lina quietly placed her staff down and walked over to the area where the venom spider legs were scattered.
For convenience, Hongxu had already pulled the spider legs off earlier.
Lina carefully avoided the sticky slime and sharp bone spurs on the ground, bending down to pick up each black, thick leg, which was thicker than her arm.
Lina’s heart was actually calm. Whether helping them or being killed, it seemed to make little difference to her.
After this brush with death, she had become somewhat lost.
What was the meaning of her life now?
Hongxu pulled off a large chunk of shell and casually threw it into a bag near Chenxi’s feet, making a loud clang.
She glanced at Lina, who was quietly working nearby, and sneered, lowering her voice as she muttered to Chenxi, “Boss, do you think this woman is reliable?
She looks so weak, like she’d collapse if the wind blows. Is she just a burden?
And when those bastards died, she didn’t say a word, not even lifting a finger.”
Chenxi understood. The Oni race despised betrayal.
“We’ll see. You can’t judge someone until you’ve spent more time with them.”
Hongxu heard Chenxi’s response and chuckled.
She scratched her head sheepishly, “You’re right, boss. I didn’t think of that. You’re such a good person!”
“No need for flattery. Get back to work.”
“Got it!”