Time moves quickly. The audience is thrilled by the epic scenes. The camera that focuses on the three Avatars in the Labyrinth changes.
When the camera panned to Delta, Lord Durren's Avatar, people were curious about what kind of tricks she would pull out. Given that Delta always uses various assassin tricks and strategies to get past every obstacle.
When the camera panned to Ophelia, Madam Lin's Avatar, people are always excited and thrilled with every fight. Compared to other Avatars, Ophelia's skills and techniques seem to be more numerous. Add to that Madam Lin's blatant display of her slave, the Calliope Family Lady, and people are even more curious about the behind-the-scenes story.
Moreover, because Ophelia's eyes always lead her to paths that are not overtly displayed (hidden paths), the excitement of the audience increases.
Of course, as the only Ruler who chose to enter the labyrinth on her own, instead of wearing an Avatar, Envy got just as much attention.
While Delta displayed tricks and Ophelia displayed techniques, Envy displayed absolute power over her enemy. Although in a much lower version, all the skills Envy used, the Nova control she exercised and the ability to utilize the environment she applied, were all at the Ranker level. How could there be an audience that wasn't interested.
Envy always picked big points in difficult questions and trap questions. Then she would utilize the strong monsters that came out in the hard questions to escape easily in the trap questions. This was much harder than killing those monsters.
Even Naeva agreed that Envy's moves were efficient and there were no wasted moves.
Wary of each other's abilities, starting from the middle of the maze, the fight between the three rulers began.
Madam Lin would utilize Calliope's Harmony Golden Eye power to lead the opposing team to a hidden door of unreasonable difficulty. Or utilize monsters beyond Iingga's ability to hinder the opponent.
Lord Durren and Delta set additional traps in front of each door on the other side that they did not pass through. While they weren't life-threatening, they were inconvenient traps that took time to get through.
To a casual onlooker, all the attacks from the two of them looked random with no specific target. Those who were careful, however, would realize that they were actually directed at Envy. All of their attacks had counters when aimed at each other, but especially when it came to Envy, they were more carefully designed.
To make matters worse, not once or twice did the two rulers deliberately put their Avatars in dangerous situations in front of Envy, cause she will help them.
Thanks to that, both of them were much closer to the finish than Envy.
"Damn... This is why keep up the image is sucks..." Envy complained wearily.
"So what? You've always lived like that, Vif. Keep up the image whenever and wherever. Role-playing like this has become a part of your life, right?"
To Envy's annoyance, it was as if she could hear the real Envy laughing at her like that.
Envy grinned in annoyance.
"Right, yeah, you're right. I've always lived like that."
"Playing the cool, straight and reliable Envy is quite troublesome. It feels like my movements are limited. But... Yeah, again, you're right. My life that has always been like that is just as limited."
"There's no point in complaining."
The woman took a deep breath.
"Okay, calm yourself Rouge Vif..."
"The rest of time--"
Glancing at the time screen in the air.
"--There are still 12 minutes left."
Envy kept moving while her mind was busy. Already troubled enough with all the maze doors and their consequences, there were still Madam Lin and Lord Durren to add to her burden.
"It seems like I've been using a defensive strategy for quite some time. It's my turn to attack, right?" smiled Envy.
Envy stopped moving after reaching the next door. It featured an easy question, so Envy chose the wrong answer so that she would earn fewer points and shorten her path.
After the door turned back into a wall. Envy began her plan, a plan she suddenly thought of to counter the tricks of the other two rulers.
Envy's eyes were perfectly rounded. She gathered all the Nova within her into a single point to unleash a vast and dangerous AoE magic. But since this magic was supposed to require a green Nova and above for proper activation, this magic would definitely be an inferior version of the original.
[ Flashover ]
BOOOOOOOOOOMMMM
A tremendous explosion of fire formed around Envy. The temperature around suddenly rose so dramatically that even the audience could feel the heat.
The temperature around suddenly rose so dramatically that even the audience could feel the heat [https://img.wattpad.com/f23609cf4bb68bd54a4c990cfe0d3f93d04483af/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f4943484973753771573662336d773d3d2d3231342e313736343635663066613464393334323838353135323931383230322e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Flames raged around Envy from all directions. It burned down everything around Envy.
This plan only occurred to her because there was a barrier on the ceiling that made the maze the perfect place to form a flashover when a fire broke out.
{ WOAH, WOAH, WOAH!!! WHAT IS THIS!!!? } was shocked by the MC.
{ Did Envy-sama mean to burn down the entire Labyrinth!!? }
{ Are you serious, Envy-sama!!? You could be disqualified if you do that!!! } Panicking him and all the audience in the stadium.
Envy ignored every word of the MC that sounded in her ears somehow.
"I also know that burning down the entire Labyrinth will get me disqualified."
"That's not my goal," Envy smiled.
Envy swung her hand. Flashover formed within a radius of only 10 meters. That was enough distance for Flashover to be considered a mere AoE. Although the actual Flashover was wide enough to scorch the entire Labyrinth in one go.
But since Envy's goal from the start was not to burn, the distance limitation was not a problem. In fact, it would be better if the distance was limited. So Envy could focus her flashover to be as hot as possible. Hot enough to scorch anything within that radius.
Flashover was actually a magic of successive fire explosions. The first explosion is not the last. There will be other explosions that are just as powerful.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
And in between those explosions...
"There will be black fire... That's what I'm after," Envy grinned.
In this context, black fire is not black fire as the name suggests.
Black fire is smoke that has a high volume, turbulent velocity, with a very dense and black smoke density. Black fire is a sure sign of flashover. Wind, temperature balance, fire flow, ventilation openings and sprinkler systems can also change the appearance of smoke.
All according to plan, dense black smoke will appear just above the fire, before the flashover explosions. Unlike flashover, black fire is not magic. Rather, it is an effect caused by that magic. In other words, a large-scale black over would not violate the rules and would not get her disqualified.
Envy waited for the black fire to spread across the maze before she returned to the finish line at high speed.
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****OOO****
Character Information
Name: Madam LinNova: III OrangeRace: OniAge: UnknownStatus: Eastern Ruler of the 3rd FloorAffiliation: 3rd Floor Eastern Region [https://img.wattpad.com/399966a37877538896fa113f730ccf41a52d6f33/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f7a6a614e477a524f4348597373513d3d2d313334383432363730392e313739336664653230313761613133303531333338303537343734312e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Name: Madam Lin
Nova: III Orange
Race: Oni
Age: Unknown
Status: Eastern Ruler of the 3rd Floor
Affiliation: 3rd Floor Eastern Region
-------------------------------------------------
Name: Ophelia CalliopeNova: II OrangeRace: Human [With Dragon Blessing]Age: 17Status: Lady of the Calliope FamilyAffiliation: Calliope Family [https://img.wattpad.com/bc52e0c281739951c0447bd4a307af78963bea06/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f56663475574244776f5659464f673d3d2d313334383432363730392e313739336664643937646662613865663433333131383737323337392e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Name: Ophelia Calliope
Nova: II Orange
Race: Human [With Dragon Blessing]
Age: 17
Status: Lady of the Calliope Family
Affiliation: Calliope Family
-------------------------------------------------
Name: Vif (?)Nova: IX BlueRace: Dragon (?)Age: UnknownStatus: Envy [Fake]3rd Floor Northern Ruler [Fake]Affiliation: 3rd Floor Northern Region [Fake]Nemesis Guild [Fake] [https://img.wattpad.com/ff572aba8cfdc15059fdb8bfa26603ba8eba1fb3/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f59664247594e59445a645f5f72513d3d2d3231342e313736343636633934653733363230393635353339333433343532372e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Name: Vif (?)
Nova: IX Blue
Race: Dragon (?)
Age: Unknown
Status: Envy [Fake]
3rd Floor Northern Ruler [Fake]
Affiliation: 3rd Floor Northern Region [Fake]
Nemesis Guild [Fake]
****OOO****
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"Uhuk, uhuk..." coughed Ophelia.
Her breathing felt labored. Suddenly, black smoke spread out at high speed from behind her to the entire maze.
The black smoke did not interfere with her vision. Because Calliope's eyes could see easily in the darkness. The problem for her was...
"My breathing... is labored..."
Anyone's breathing would be disturbed in the midst of that black smoke.
Ophelia could not walk as fast as before. Although her eyes could see clearly amidst the smoke, her vision was blurred by her increasingly labored breathing and inflamed throat.
She was half-standing and coughing while holding onto the wall. Ophelia tried to neutralize the smoke by covering her nose with a wet cloth.
// My sweetie, hurry up, you'll be there in no time! // said Madam Lin, worrying about the ticking clock.
Ophelia glanced at the camera.
".... Yes... Madam..."
Forcing herself, Ophelia tried her best to move amidst the smoke and the rapidly rising temperature. Seeing her like that, the audience was worried because of her.
{ Walah, walah... Even though Envy-sama has been nerfed! But you can still make a big environmental effect. Sasuga Envy-sama... }
{ Eitss... Make no mistake guys. Envy-sama didn't break the rules of the limitation of magic used. Because this smoke was formed not because of magic but a scientific process }
The MC shook his head "what can I do" at the people who seemed to be questioning whether Envy's actions were allowed or not.
{ Hahahaha, this is why it takes a smart brain in all fields if you want to be an OP, guys... }
The MC's face took on an annoying expression.
{ So study physics there, so you won't be so stupid }
Audience, "💢💢💢💢"
For those who feel insinuated by the MC, oops... Ehem, please listen to this explanation carefully.
Black smoke is formed when a fire breaks out due to incomplete combustion. Smoke is basically made up of solid or liquid particles dispersed in air. When burning materials, such as wood, paper, or plastic, are exposed to high heat, the combustion process will occur.
Under ideal conditions, when the burning material is exposed to oxygen in the air, the oxidation reaction will occur completely and produce complete combustion products such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). However, under certain circumstances, such as in uncontrolled fires, incomplete combustion conditions occur.
Black smoke is formed due to the presence of carbon particles that are not fully burned or not completely oxidized. These carbon particles are formed because the burning fuel is not getting enough oxygen supply. In hot fire conditions and with limited oxygen supply, incomplete combustion occurs, resulting in the formation of carbon particles.
These carbon particles are then dispersed in the air, forming the black smoke that is visible during a fire. These carbon particles are usually very small and can be inhaled by humans, which can have negative health effects.
In addition, black smoke can also contain various toxic chemical compounds formed during the combustion process, depending on the type of material being burned. Compounds such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and various volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be present in black smoke and can be harmful to humans and the environment.
In the context of a fire, it is important to control and extinguish the fire as quickly as possible to prevent the formation of more black smoke. Meanwhile, in this maze, Avatars Madam Lin and Lord Durren were already far ahead of the fire and they could not return to put it out.
In other words. This smoke is impossible to get rid of because the source, the fire itself, cannot be extinguished. At best they could only briefly dispel the smoke with water or wind, but that was only temporary.
BRUUUUGHHH
Having inhaled too much smoke, Ophelia and Delta collapsed after a few minutes had passed. Their breathing was extremely labored and their respiratory senses were irritated. In addition to the lack of oxygen in the maze, the smoke became thicker and the air became thinner.
At this rate, even Madam Lin and Lord Durren, who had prepared a thousand and one plans against Envy, would not be able to do anything in their current positions.
BRAAAAAKKKKK
"Hey, isn't this cheating!?" fumed Madam Lin after pounding on her desk.
The MC shook his head.
{ I'm sorry madam, but look... Even Usapong didn't confirm any cheating. Because Envy-sama really didn't break the rules}
Madam Lin turned her head sharply to Usapong. As if asking for justification. But the referee and dealer just formed their fingers into (👌) while smiling. Signaling the MC's words were true and Envy had not broken any rules.
Madam Lin's body instantly went limp.
"Seriously..."
"That's not cheating!?" she said in shock.
From the chair on the other side of the table, Envy's secretary who saw everything from the beginning and had already listened to all of Envy's plans could only grin faintly.
"Heh... Are you the only one who can find loopholes in the rules?" smiled the secretary with satisfaction.
"Envy-sama and I spent a few days after the letter arrived looking for all the loopholes in the 3 Rulers' gambling regulations and built 18 strategies to exploit those loopholes."
"Who would have thought, one of the simplest strategies would be the answer."
"Although that strategy also had one major flaw."
What one big flaw is the secretary referring to?
Simple. Why do you think Envy had to wait until the last 10 minutes to use this strategy?
Because Envy was thinking about the health of the Avatars of the two rulers. If she forced them into the midst of such black smoke for too long, the effects would be extremely harmful to their bodies. They would surely suffer carbon monoxide poisoning, lung damage, respiratory irritation, and chemical poisoning. In order to reduce the impact on their bodies as much as possible, Envy had to limit her time and complete the labyrinth within that limited time.
Now Envy's only opponent was time. In the last 10 minutes, she had to complete the labyrinth with as many points as she could. There was no time to think about anything else.
Fortunately, this way, the monsters that came out would also fall by the smoke and the other ruler Avatars wouldn't bother her.