Pillar of Yita

The basement was silent, and the others watched as Ande Ulriel arranged the chessboard, setting out seven pieces on the light net just like Vikki had done previously.

After completing all of this, the old man lifted his head, gently raised his silver eyebrows, and spoke: ”This time, I’ll defend and you will attack. But be careful, little one, my skills are far superior to that little girl’s, so this time there’s no need for you to hold back.”

Fang Hong scratched his head, realizing that those seven Clockwork Fairies were purely a misunderstanding.

He hadn’t had the chance before, but he certainly didn’t want to make the same mistake twice, hesitantly asking: ”... But I’m not sure about the rules of this game, Mr. Ande. Does not holding back mean I can do anything?”

Ande paused briefly, straightened up, and asked: ”You don’t know the rules?” He was clearly surprised, ”Has no one taught you how to play this? Wait, then how did you acquire your Margin Technique?”

Of course, it was trained with the software Shana gave him.

But there was a huge misunderstanding here. Fang Hong asked, somewhat stunned: ”What does Margin Technique have to do with this?”

Ande detected the implications in his words, and his aging silver-gray eyes looked at him with an interested gaze: ”This is the basic training method for Margin Technique.” He shifted his tone: ”However, I am curious, it seems like your Margin Technique came about in a rather unusual manner.”

Fang Hong was dumbfounded, mouth agape as he looked at him.

Wasn’t the training software that Shana gave him supposed to be the basic training method for Margin Technique?

But the problem is, if this is the authentic training method for Margin Technique, then what was it that Shana gave him...?

Interest sparkled in Ande’s eyes as he finally untangled the events that had occurred. In other words, the opponent had pulled a colossal prank on them, not knowing the basic rules of ’Liox Beast Chess.’

Strangely, none of these old-timers had noticed this, which was incredibly amusing. He couldn’t help but wonder where the little girl from the Albert Family had found such a character.

Ande’s silver brows moved slightly as he gently placed the final piece down, saying: ”The rules on this chessboard are simple. Since you don’t understand them, just assume there are no rules. Anything not prohibited is allowed, so don’t worry. Do everything according to your thoughts, you may attack freely.”

He concluded with a simple statement: ”In short, let me first see your ability.”

No rules?

Fang Hong was taken aback upon hearing this, thinking that this was quite fortuitous.

He looked at the chessboard, but then paused, and asked earnestly: ”... Really anything goes?”

”Of course.” Ande seemed a bit impatient, thinking this little one was being overly cautious. His gaze inadvertently swept over Hilveld, seeing her lowering her head with a sly smile, prompting him to raise his brow and ask: ”Little girl from the Albert Family, what are you laughing at this time?”

Hilveld smiled and shook her head: ”I didn’t laugh, Ande Ulriel,” she replied.

”Enough,” Ande grumbled, casting Fang Hong a sidelong glance: ”Hurry up, kid.”

Fang Hong took a deep breath. Since the opponent said anything goes, it should be fine. He had already tasted the sweetness from the Clockwork Fairies, thinking they were truly useful—cheap and practical—and so beckoned his hand:

Swish, more than twenty Clockwork Fairies appeared on the chessboard—

Wait.

The old man blinked, looked at those twenty-plus Clockwork Fairies, then looked at Fang Hong, thinking, are you serious? It’s possible Sonan Steelbrow’s girl could control that many at full power, but what use would twenty-plus Clockwork Fairies be?

A few AOEs would make them disappear.

He’s not that girl; the Fearless One can only act once per turn, Fang Hong can act three times per turn, which seems few to him.

But Fang Hong’s performance wasn’t over yet; after a moment of contemplation—swish, another twenty-plus Clockwork Fairies appeared on the board. Ande’s eyes widened, about to say something, but swish, a large group of Clockwork Fairies appeared again—

Seventy plus Clockwork Fairies, densely packed, hovering like a dark cloud. The board expanded twice to barely accommodate so many pieces, which made Ande Ulriel’s seven pieces look insignificant by comparison.

Fang Hong was still somewhat unsatisfied, raising his hand ready to ask Miss Tata for help. After all, the opponent was a legendary Alchemist, deserving of some respect.

”Stop, stop,” but Ande no longer wanted to watch, quickly calling out to him: ”No need to compete, I concede.”

Given his calculative power, beating Fang Hong would naturally be a breeze. But by only using the same number of pieces as Vikki, even a god might not be a match for Fang Hong’s seventy-plus Clockwork Fairies.

The opponent didn’t even need to manipulate them, just spread them out flat to win.

Ande took a deep breath, set down the crystal in his hand, allowing the suspended chessboard in the basement to vanish. He rose in silent defeat, looking at Fang Hong who was bewildered, then turned to glance at Hilveld who was grinning mischievously, giving her a glare.

”There’s a box behind you,” the old man pointed to Fang Hong: ”Open it.”

Xiangzi was taken aback, looking around.

But Luo Yu patted his shoulder, indicating it wasn’t referring to him.

Fang Hong turned to look, indeed seeing a box placed on the table. Uncertain, he followed the instruction to open it, discovering it was packed full of Clockwork Fairies, both Type I and Type II, stacked together.