132: Chapter 132 The Time-Space Chessboard!

The chessboard was paved with black and white crystals, its crisscrossing lines emitting a faint glow.

Each square was like a small platform, suspended above a bottomless darkness.

Broken stone pillars and severed chains were faintly visible at the edges of the board, as if a world-shaking battle had once taken place here.

Lu Yin stood at the edge of the massive chessboard, his gaze sweeping over the black and white squares floating in the void.

Each square emitted a faint energy fluctuation, breathing like a living thing.

“This floor looks a bit different,”

Su Xiaoruan said in a low voice. She stepped onto the nearest white crystal square, which immediately lit up with a soft halo.

Reno stepped forward, observing the chessboard with a feigned solemnity.

“It seems this stage requires us to walk on the chessboard. Based on my experience, we might transform into chess pieces until we defeat the opposing King.”

The moment his words fell, the entire chessboard suddenly lit up.

The black and white squares flashed alternately, projecting several lines of glowing text into the void:

【Spacetime Chess Game】

【Rules: Choose Black or White; continue until one side's King is defeated.】

Reno was the first to walk toward the center of the board, where two glowing pieces floated—one pure black, one bright white.

“It looks like we need to choose a faction.”

He turned to Lu Yin and asked with feigned democracy, “Brother Lu Yin, which side do you think we should choose?”

Lu Yin sneered inwardly, but on the surface, he carefully observed the board.

“There seems to be no difference between the two sides. Let’s just pick White; at least it's more pleasing to the eye.”

“Alright, as Brother Lu Yin says,” Reno agreed readily, reaching out to touch the white piece.

The moment he touched the piece, the entire chessboard began to vibrate.

The black and white squares flashed alternately, and phantom images of corresponding chess pieces appeared beneath everyone's feet.

Lu Yin found the mark of a 'Knight' appearing under his feet, while Milian was a 'Bishop.'

The others also received various chess identities.

“It seems I have become the White King.”

Reno stood on the central square of the board, a brilliant phantom crown appearing above his head.

“Everyone, please move according to the rules of the pieces. We must work together to pass this stage.”

Lu Yin silently sensed the rules of the pieces and discovered that each had a unique way of moving.

The Knight could move in straight lines and horizontally, the Bishop could move diagonally, and the King held the authority to command the entire field.

“Round One, begin!”

A mechanical voice echoed through the void.

Almost as soon as the voice faded, black pieces corresponding to the white side slowly condensed on the opposite black board.

These pieces were not simple phantoms but entities composed of shadow energy, emitting a cold aura.

“According to the rules of chess, Pawns move first.”

Reno commanded loudly.

“Front row Pawns, advance two squares!”

The moment Reno issued the command, the white square beneath Su Xiaoruan's feet in the front row suddenly lit up and automatically slid forward two squares.

As Su Xiaoruan advanced, the Black faction responded.

A black Pawn piece advanced two squares simultaneously, facing Su Xiaoruan across the center of the board.

“Brother Lu Yin, this person is the tank of your team. I plan to use her as bait to draw the fire of the enemy pieces, while the others deal damage from the flanks.”

After making the move, Reno seemed afraid Lu Yin and the others would become suspicious and offered an explanation in advance.

However, Lu Yin shook his head slightly. Reno's tactics seemed reasonable but harbored ill intentions.

By making Su Xiaoruan go deep into the enemy lines as bait, she would surely suffer heavy damage even as a tank if the black pieces were powerful.

Therefore, Lu Yin spoke up without any hesitation.

“Brother Reno, use me as the bait. My summons can take the damage.”

Reno was slightly stunned upon hearing this, a glint flashing in his eyes, though he put on a worried expression.

“Brother Lu Yin, that's too risky.”

“Your summons are powerful, but if they get focused down, I'm afraid...”

“It doesn't matter. I still have a life-saving move I haven't used. If I really can't hold on, we can switch to someone else.”

Lu Yin smiled confidently, acting as if he were completely unguarded.

An imperceptible cold sneer flashed through Reno's eyes, but his face showed admiration.

“Brother Lu Yin is truly courageous. In that case, we'll do as you say.”

He turned to the board and commanded loudly, “Knight, advance six squares!”

The white square beneath Lu Yin's feet lit up in response, sliding him forward.

He landed in front of a black Pawn. The moment he settled, the black piece seemed to come to life, transforming into a three-meter-tall black warrior.

The spear in its hand whistled through the air, piercing directly toward Lu Yin's face.

Lu Yin wanted to dodge, but his body could not move an inch no matter what.

Squelch!

The spear pierced through Lu Yin's body. Accompanied by bursts of sharp pain, a string of damage numbers appeared above his head.

-23,546!

“Unable to dodge... is this also a rule of the chess game?”

Lu Yin whispered to himself. He then received a prompt that after the opponent's attack, it was his turn.

He gave Krausi a look, and Krausi immediately drew his bow and fired.

Squelch!

The arrow pierced through the black soldier's body, and a massive damage number surfaced above its head.

-985,632!

Under the massive damage, the black soldier shattered with a bang, dissipating into specks of black light on the board.

【Ding! You have killed a Black Soldier. Experience points increased by 450,000 (-20%)!】

“Beautiful! As expected of Brother Lu Yin!”

Reno's face showed a perfectly timed expression of praise.

However, in the next instant, bursts of magical fluctuations suddenly came from the distance.

Lu Yin's eyes narrowed as he saw the enemy King and Queen both charging up skills to attack him.

Boom!

According to the chessboard rules, he could not dodge and had to take the two magical attacks head-on.

-46,568! +3,000! -23,564!

Fortunately, Lu Yin used a Recovery Potion at the critical moment; otherwise, his health bar would have been emptied.

Although he had the Sovereign-Subject Link, Lu Yin did not want to expose this skill in front of Reno.

“Reno, let me go over and support him!”

Seeing Lu Yin being focused by attacks, Su Xiaoruan, who was also assigned the Knight identity, shouted urgently.

Although she knew Lu Yin was incredibly strong, she didn't fully know the extent of his power.

In her view, a Summoner's fragile physique would definitely not last two rounds under such an assault.

Su Xiaoruan's anxiety caused a glint to flash in Reno's eyes, allowing him to get a rough idea of Lu Yin's limits.