Chapter 65: The True Archmage

“Chen Fan, what are you doing? You’re supposed to throw the flare upward, not anywhere else.”

“Not listening, not listening, like a turtle chanting scriptures.”

After being scolded by his teammates, Chen Fan felt quite aggrieved. Wasn’t it you who asked me to use my skill to open the path in the first place? How was I supposed to know what comes out of this staff? Why is all the blame being pinned on me? Granted, I did accidentally kill a teammate…

“Let me, the great and extraordinary Seer, lead the villagers to victory.” At this point, Chen Fan could only try to carry the team and shift the blame.

The surroundings were dim, and Chen Fan planned to lure the fight into an open area. As he moved, a shadowy figure flashed through the darkness. Chen Fan barely raised his staff toward the front, but the shadow had already circled behind him.

“This... this movement speed is a bit ridiculous.”

The target was nearly upon him, and charging up to throw a fireball like before was obviously impossible. Chen Fan had no choice but to become a melee mage and grapple bare-handed with the werewolf.

“Ha~”

Chen Fan thrust forward with all his might, but missed. The werewolf deftly dodged to the side, seized the opportunity to counterattack, and raked Chen Fan with its claws.

“K-O”

“My health is so fragile—three swipes and I’m done.” Because Chen Fan’s opening had caused two teammates to fall, the wolf team easily won the first round.

“Chen Fan, listen up, your skill is meant to be aimed at the sky.” Gu Kai, seeing that Chen Fan didn’t know how to play the Seer role, patiently coached him. “Find a high vantage point and launch the flare towards the sky outside the village. That’s your job.”

“My staff shoots flares? Then how did you two die?” Chen Fan asked, puzzled.

“Gu Kai and I were hiding under the eaves, already low on health. Your flare brought the roof down, crushing us both to death.” Zhou Ji, carrying a sniper rifle on his back and holding twin Uzis, looked every bit the hunter.

Chen Fan continued, “So my staff only shoots flares? Can it do anything else?”

“You’re playing a support role as Seer. Why are you always thinking about killing? Your job is to provide vision. But if you end up in close quarters, it’s probably better to fight with your staff than with your bare hands.” Gu Kai, clad in a brown robe, had several vials strapped to his belt.

“What? The Seer is just support? That’s so dull. Villagers are just blank slates too, aren’t they?” Chen Fan protested, disappointed. He’d thought he’d drawn a powerful role and could lead the team, but it turned out to be support.

“Villagers have better stats than you at least. You’re so squishy, three claws and you’re done.” Gu Kai grinned.

“Two villagers, follow me. Chen Fan, fall back and find a high place to fire.” Zhou Ji took command, the four of them charging ahead, with Chen Fan alone supporting from the rear.

Chen Fan lay prone on the rooftop, staff in hand, scanning the surroundings.

“Chen Fan, this direction, open the path with your skill. Remember, aim at the sky.”

It was another order from Commander Zhou Ji. Chen Fan hurried to the marked spot on the map, readying his shot.

“The true Grand Mage, mah-li-ma-li-hong!”

This time, it was accurate—a single flare lit up the entire darkness.

“Well done, Chen Fan. That’s how it’s done.”

Chen Fan didn’t really know what was happening; he just stood on the rooftop, tossing flares out. He never even saw the enemy’s shadow or heard any distant cries. Somehow, they won.

The same trick worked repeatedly, and the Divine Team soon reached match point with a dominant 4:1 lead.

“Match point already,” Zhou Ji encouraged, “Let’s finish them off in one go.”

Chen Fan wasn’t as excited. He’d spent every round hiding far in the back, launching flares, while Gu Kai and Zhou Ji hogged all the glory. There was no sense of bloodshed at all.

Gu Kai directed, “Stick to the plan. The other side is straightforward; their breakthrough point is always the same.”

“Alright, let’s finish this quickly,” Chen Fan replied. He didn’t want to play anymore; this support role was even duller than a medic. At least the medic could follow the main force. The Seer was just like a salted fish at the back, shouting ‘awesome’ through a megaphone.

Once again, the same low sky, the same familiar coordinates. Chen Fan couldn’t remember how many times he’d fired a flare at that spot. He felt he could shoot blindfolded and never miss.

“Hmph, these guys always enter the village from that entrance. No wonder they get ambushed and wiped out. Why not take a roundabout route? They’re about to lose five to one, and still haven’t learned.” Kang Jixuan, playing the werewolf this round, didn’t charge in with the main force but instead slipped around to the other side alone.

Watching the fireworks bloom in the distance, Kang Jixuan sighed, “They must’ve been sniped again. These guys are all melee, and without vision they have no chance.”

On the Divine Team’s side, the main force was still positioned at the village entrance. The two villagers acted as shields in front, drawing fire. Witch Gu Kai sealed off routes with poison vials, and Hunter Zhou Ji, under the cover of flares, picked off the werewolves one by one.

Gu Kai looked at the bodies strewn about and said, “Werewolves are so predictable, always attacking from the shortest route. I don’t even feel like sealing it off anymore with poison vials. You’re getting all the MVPs.”

Zhou Ji did a quick headcount and realized something was wrong—they were missing a wolf. He hurriedly ordered, “Quick, return to the village center. We can’t let the wolf capture the exile hall.”

Chen Fan, now reduced to the team mascot, sat cross-legged on the rooftop, watching his teammates slaughter foes outside the village, while he waited for his skill cooldown before tossing another flare. The rest of the time, he simply stared at the stars and the moon.

If someone brought him snacks and desserts, Chen Fan might even enjoy the night view.

“Chen Fan, Chen Fan, can you hear me? One wolf slipped through, probably heading for the exile hall. Hurry over and stop him—whatever it takes.” Zhou Ji called out anxiously.

“Stop him? Isn’t that just sacrificing myself to buy time?” Chen Fan brushed the dust from his clothes, feeling pleased the team finally remembered him.

Meanwhile, Kang Jixuan had already reached the vicinity of the exile hall. All that remained was a stretch of undefended street, and victory lay ahead.

“Such amateurs. All they think about is killing. This game is about strategy,” Kang Jixuan muttered, scanning his surroundings warily. The exile hall was still a ways from the village entrance. In terms of mobility, he was definitely faster than the enemy’s main force. The only one who could possibly intercept him was the Seer at the rear.

“A support who only provides vision—no threat at all.” Kang Jixuan knew the flare’s power. Even if it hit dead-on, it wouldn’t be fatal.

“Ah, target spotted!” From his vantage point, Chen Fan was the first to see the last werewolf, who was moving swiftly. If he tried to intercept directly, he’d almost certainly miss. His only option was to try a long-range attack with a flare.

“What a tricky problem. This could stump a liberal arts major like me.”

Chen Fan had to calculate the flare’s flight speed and the enemy’s movement to ensure the shot would hit.

“Wait, didn’t Gu Kai say the flare is weak? So even if it hits, it won’t kill?” Chen Fan charged up and began to doubt.

He aimed the staff at the exile hall’s supporting pillar, taking a chance: “Well, desperate times call for desperate measures.”

Kang Jixuan, speeding along, noticed the blinding light at his flank, dismissing it, “Trying to snipe me? Unlikely. Even if you hit, what’s the harm?”

As the gap closed, Chen Fan timed his shot—a powerful explosive flare fired straight toward the exile hall.

Kang Jixuan timed his own move, memorized the trajectory ahead, and closed his eyes early to avoid being blinded by the flare.

“Boom—bam—crash!”

The flare struck the weak point of the supporting pillar, and half of the exile hall collapsed in a thunderous crash.

“Game over. Divine faction wins.”

Chen Fan slung his staff over his shoulder, proudly admiring his handiwork, grinning, “Now that’s a true Grand Mage.”

PS: The cameo role of Ugly Ghost 01, a reader. Every time I see the collection drop before I start writing, I worry readers don’t like it, but once I finish, it climbs right back up... My poor heart can’t take it! I don’t pad word count; this kind of content, other authors would stretch into five rounds and tens of thousands of words, but I wrap it up in two chapters and move the plot forward.