The Esports Little Demon King Is a Sweet and Fierce Omega - Chapter 15

A soft, fair face flashed through Feng Wu’s mind, along with the name Li Zhen had shouted at the restaurant: “Tian Jiu.”

When he first heard the name, he had instinctively associated it with those two characters. He hadn’t expected that only half a day later, he would actually run into a player with that exact ID even if it was attached to a starter “Buff Alpha” avatar.

The coincidence was simply too striking.

Driven by a strange impulse, Feng Wu glanced toward the spectator stands. Since this was a randomly matched training session, only a handful of people occupied the massive arena seats. Two tall figures sat side by side near the field; one was a stranger to Feng Wu, but the other was Li Zhen, whom he had seen at the breakfast shop that morning.

So, this “Tian Jiu” really was that small Omega?

As they waited for the match to begin, Feng Wu’s gaze rarely strayed from Tian Jiu. After entering the game, the first thing Tian Jiu did was test the weight of his brand-new weapon. The ten-kilogram cannon was light enough for him to ignore, and he carried it on his shoulder with effortless ease. Although the cannon looked massive, it actually complemented his burly Alpha skin, making him look quite formidable.

Tian Jiu was thoroughly satisfied. A handle sat beneath the barrel for gripping; with the cannon propped on his right shoulder, his right hand gripped the handle while his left palm held the independent skill controller. The controller featured two buttons: green for a standard attack that consumed no mana, and red for official skills. While the standard attack lacked power, it was perfect for clearing minions or adding chip damage.

Furthermore, game regulations dictated that every weapon skill had a passive ability to reduce an enemy’s movement speed upon impact. While this debuff varied by class with ice-based Mages having the strongest control. It was a vital part of every kit.

Having familiarized himself with the gear, Tian Jiu looked ahead with anticipation. The game map felt far more immersive than his previous match, and he was eager to charge into the fray.

However, he paused and turned to his side. The masked Assassin standing next to him had the ID [No Killing]. The man revealed only a pair of deep eyes as sharp as a wolf’s. The gaze coming from those eyes collided directly with Tian Jiu’s, giving him the fleeting illusion of being targeted by a predator.

Tian Jiu tilted his head in confusion. Why do those eyes look so familiar?

The sight of a 1.9-meter-tall brute with a thick beard tilting his head innocently should have been an eyesore. Yet, for some reason, the image in Feng Wu’s mind automatically translated into that of a soft, curious Omega. He actually managed to find a trace of cuteness in this hulking Alpha.

The familiar mechanical female voice began the broadcast: “Welcome to the Battle of the Gods. The game is about to begin. Countdown: Three seconds.”

“Three, two, one. All units, advance!”

The temple doors swung open, and blue-armored mechanical soldiers filed out. Tian Jiu watched as the transparent barrier in front of them dissolved. Since this was a training match, there was no “Squirrel Mall”; players relied purely on their physical and weapon attributes.

The teammates split into three lanes. A lightly dressed Elf floated twenty centimeters above the ground, propelled by ethereal dragonfly wings that left a trail of stardust. A Mage in a long blue gown carrying a frozen staff followed the Elf toward the bottom lane. Meanwhile, a Defender in heavy mecha armor, carrying a shield and a long saber, strode steadily toward the top lane.

Tian Jiu glanced at the Assassin beside him, who was also watching him. As their eyes met, a trace of a smile flickered in the man’s eyes. He gave Tian Jiu a playful wink before stepping forward, his silhouette vanishing instantly.

Tian Jiu was startled for a moment before remembering this was the Assassin’s unique high-speed movement skill. Seeing that everyone else had left, he shouldered his cannon and stepped onto the middle lane. A squad of mechanical soldiers followed him in neat rows, looking very much like his personal entourage.

Tian Jiu exhaled softly. He quickened his pace, though his arrival time at the outer tower was fixed by his base attributes.

In the stands, Old Zhao sat with his legs wide, commenting, “He looks the part now. Much more professional than when he played with me last time.”

“The middle lane is a bit dangerous,” Li Zhen added with some worry.

“It’s fine. Beginners actually perform better when they’re alone. Having a support following them in the bottom lane often messes with their head,” Old Zhao countered. Having known many newbies, he understood their psychology well.

Li Zhen nodded, then noted, “Look at that cannon you made. He’s carrying it like a toy.”

“Heh, you’re right,” Old Zhao said in surprise. “His avatar matches that cannon so well, I almost forgot he’s actually a petite Omega.”

Li Zhen laughed, feeling a bit proud. “Old Zhao, as Tian Jiu’s friend, I’ll tell you the truth. His strength is greater than anyone you’ve ever seen. You could definitely have made that cannon heavier.”

Old Zhao grew thoughtful. “No wonder his other stats are so low while his attack is high. That explains it.” He decided he needed to refine the design further, adding more weight to the cannon while “masking” the extra physical attack value to boost Tian Jiu’s defense and self-healing. While this pushed the boundaries of the rules, it was a common “hidden” tactic among top players.

Back in his past life, Tian Jiu’s specialty was the mid-lane Mage; he was the top-ranked “Mage King” in the entire circle. Although he wasn’t playing a Mage now, the lane was the same, and the map was familiar. He handled the mid-lane rhythm with expert ease.

Upon reaching the outer tower, Tian Jiu didn’t stop. Instead, he ducked into the tall grass on the left side of the river. The two-meter-high grass concealed him perfectly, though he could see the field outside without issue. He rested his thumb on the trigger and held his breath.

Seconds later, a rustle came from the grass. A figure in a pink princess dress appeared, and the two stared at each other directly. Tian Jiu squeezed the trigger instantly. As the shell launched, he performed a side roll out of the grass, narrowly dodging the enemy Mage’s vine entanglement.

He retreated to a safe distance as the enemy Mage emerged. It was clearly a boy, but he wore a pink princess dress and had a fair, cute face. Thanks to Tian Jiu’s initial strike, the opponent’s health bar had dropped by a fifth. Realizing Tian Jiu was an “experienced” player, the enemy Mage stayed under the tower to farm minions.

Tian Jiu farmed alongside him peacefully, though he maintained a slight lead in speed. Just as the opponent had one minion left, Tian Jiu finished his wave and stepped forward to fire a skill, chipping away a bit more of the Mage’s health before retreating back under his own tower.

The map in Fengshen shared many similarities with traditional MOBAs; vision was limited, especially in the jungle where visibility was only three meters and the grass was high enough to cover a player’s head. The jungle was divided into top and bottom sections, each containing three monsters: a flaming Vermilion Bird, a sleeping Tiger, and a humanoid Lion King. The Lion Kings provided the red and blue buffs, which temporarily increased attack power and mana regeneration.

Tian Jiu enlarged the mini-map on his screen to track his teammates and visible enemies. Seeing his Assassin farming in the left jungle, Tian Jiu turned into the woods. He opened his temporary inventory, which held three small lanterns for vision and a healing potion. These items refreshed periodically, lanterns every three minutes and potions every six.

He placed a lantern in the brush near his outer tower before heading deeper into the jungle, where he saw the Assassin take down the Vermilion Bird with a few clean strikes. The Assassin noticed him and raised an eyebrow.

“Want the blue?” the man asked. His voice was low and somewhat muffled by the mask, but Tian Jiu felt a strange sense of familiarity, though he couldn’t quite place it.

The Assassin, with the ID [No Killing], walked to the blue Lion King and slammed a dagger into its forehead, instantly aggroing it. As the lion let out a sonic roar, the Assassin lost a bit of health. Tian Jiu, who was close by, also took a tiny bit of damage.

“…” Tian Jiu had only intended to check for counter-jungling.

Ignoring the roar, the Assassin skillfully dodged the claws and yanked his dagger out. He leaped behind the Lion King, his blade flashing as he sliced into its neck. The health bar plummeted; in just two moves, a third of its life was gone. He turned to Tian Jiu while dodging another punch.

“Come here. Take the blue.”

So hospitable?

Tian Jiu bit his lip. “Is that okay?”

The Assassin laughed. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Then… thank you.” Tian Jiu didn’t refuse. His cannon consumed mana quickly due to its high magical attack power; he really needed the buff. He waited until the health was low enough before firing a single shell to secure it.

As his mana bar began to replenish rapidly, Tian Jiu called out a thank you to the Assassin’s retreating back. The man glanced over his shoulder before vanishing again. Tian Jiu suddenly felt that playing an Assassin seemed quite cool, though it clearly required immense combat skill.

In the stands, Li Zhen was shocked. “That Assassin gave up the blue buff?”

“Melee fighters don’t strictly need mana,” Old Zhao muttered. “But I’ve never seen an Alpha give up a buff to a starter ‘Buff Alpha’ before.”

Li Zhen frowned. “Could it be someone Tian Jiu knows?”

“How? Only us and my sister know this ID, right?”

“True. Maybe the Assassin is just… kind?” Li Zhen was baffled.

They settled on the idea that the Assassin was just helping a newbie. With the blue buff secured, Tian Jiu returned to the mid-lane with renewed vigor. He continued to farm while slowly chipping away at the enemy Mage’s health, which eventually dropped to fifty percent.

Suddenly, the “No Killing” signal appeared on the mini-map.

Tian Jiu caught the signal and stepped forward inconspicuously, intentionally taking a hit from the enemy’s skill to bait him. Seeing Tian Jiu’s health drop, the enemy Mage didn’t retreat but pressed the advantage. As the opponent reached the center of the river, Tian Jiu launched a shell. The projectile reduced the enemy’s movement speed, and in that moment, “No Killing” leaped out of the grass like a ghost, securing First Blood.

Tian Jiu used to be the core player of his old team; the “Mid-Jungle Duo” was their most common strategy. He had almost forgotten that feeling of seamless coordination, but this “No Killing” brother made him feel that fluid joy once again.

The Assassin seemed slightly surprised by Tian Jiu’s awareness and coordination, but he didn’t waste time. He moved toward the top lane for the next kill. Tian Jiu cleared his wave and followed quietly, hiding behind a jungle wall.

Their team’s Defender was struggling under his tower against an enemy Doctor and Gunner. As the enemy prepared to dive the tower, Tian Jiu fired two shells from over the wall, hitting both opponents. Their health dropped significantly and their speed slowed.

“No Killing” repeated his trick, securing a double kill.

Wait—Tian Jiu paused. The Assassin hadn’t actually finished them; he had left each with a sliver of health before telling Tian Jiu, “Quick, take the kills.”

Tian Jiu: “?” He took the double kill, feeling somewhat dazed. Does this Assassin have a thing for my beard?

In the spectator seats, Li Zhen and Old Zhao exchanged looks of pure confusion. That confusion didn’t vanish for the rest of the game. The “Kind Assassin” and the “Bearded Cannoneer” dominated the map, turning the enemy jungle into their own playground. They moved together with the chemistry of veterans who had worked together for years.

Even more bizarre was the Assassin’s attitude. He funneled almost every jungle creep and kill to Tian Jiu, making him the most fed player on the field. While Tian Jiu was skilled enough to handle a 1v2, the Assassin’s behavior was still incomprehensible.

“I’ve got it!” Old Zhao slapped his thigh. “That’s exactly how I play when I’m carrying my little sister. The Assassin thinks Tian Jiu is a kid!”

Li Zhen looked at the 1.9-meter bearded man carrying a giant cannon and couldn’t imagine how blind the Assassin would have to be to mistake him for a child.

The match ended with Tian Jiu taking an easy MVP. Out of politeness and a genuine sense of appreciation, Tian Jiu sent a friend request to the Assassin. However, the notification came back almost instantly: [The other party has declined your friend request.]

Tian Jiu: “…” How cold! He’s a completely different person outside the game!

He huffed and prepared to log out. But at the very moment he was about to hit the exit button, a friend request popped up on his screen. In a stroke of terrible luck, his finger landed right on the “Decline” button.

Startled, his hand shook, and he accidentally hit the game exit button immediately after.

[The other party has declined your friend request.]

*******

Back in his gaming pod, Feng Wu raised an eyebrow at the cold notification on his screen and let out a soft laugh.

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