“A fusion magic of four elements—is it Elaril?”
The dazzling four-color storm in the holy ground instantly became the focus of everyone’s attention.
Without a doubt, only Saint Realm Magic could produce such an anomaly.
But in the current City of Emerald Shadows, only Elaril could release fusion magic.
Almost everyone assumed it was her doing.
Only Olivier, after carefully sensing the elemental vibrations in the aftermath, shook her head.
Fire, lightning, earth, and water—none of these four elements were ones Elaril excelled at.
The more elements fused, the higher the mage’s computational and mental demands.
If it were Elaril, she would have primarily chosen the wind, wood, and dark elements she was more intimate with.
But if it wasn’t Elaril, who had cast a four-element fusion magic?
A silver figure suddenly flashed through Olivier’s mind, and her heart sank.
Of course.
If it’s her, it makes sense.
But how old is she?
Fifteen—a fifteen-year-old Grand Magician?
That’s terrifying.
Besides, her rate of progress is too fast.
A few days ago, she was just a weak 5th-tier Mage, but in just a few days, she can already cast Saint Realm Magic?
If given more time, could she surpass the Saint Realm and become an existence above the Saint Realm like the Saint-Vien Emperor?
Olivier’s expression grew darker.
Alandin Kingdom had waited hundreds of years for a perfect vessel, and now the Empire had produced a monster like Winnidith at this critical moment.
She absolutely could not be allowed to leave the City of Emerald Shadows alive.
Olivier silently withdrew from the front line of battle.
On her right hand, a blood-red seal quietly materialized.
“M-Miss Isabella, that… what’s happening over there?”
On the vast open ground outside the City of Emerald Shadows, Evian was already stunned by the massive mushroom cloud.
By the Sacred Tree, if that attack had hit me, there wouldn’t even be ashes left.
Like many warriors inside the city, Evian initially thought the mushroom cloud was a Saint Realm Magic cast by Elaril, sending a wave of panic through her.
“Princess and Miss Winnidith… they’re not dead, are they?”
Evian cautiously glanced beside her and saw Isabella fiddling with a crescent-shaped accessory on her ear.
After hearing a faint electrical crackle, Isabella relaxed.
“Don’t worry. Wendy and the others are alive and well. We just need to do our part.”
“Oh.”
Though Evian didn’t know how Isabella had reached that conclusion, she didn’t dare argue and simply nodded blankly.
Then, facing a crowd of puppets—like audience members—she fell into new distress.
Even if she only needed to act, when would it start?
Her Highness didn’t give me an exact time.
Meanwhile, the Princess she was muttering about, Princess Lia, was currently dirty and disheveled, climbing out of thick dust with Winnidith.
They were both in a sorry state.
“Cough, cough. Winnidith, your attack’s power is too great. It even ripped up the ground.”
“I… it’s my first time performing fusion magic. I didn’t expect it to be this powerful.”
Inside the holy ground, the power of Four Symbols Return to Void not only shocked those outside but also startled Winnidith and the others inside.
Even the mere dissipating aftershocks had the power of an Eighth Rank magic.
If not for Princess Lia’s quick reflexes and her full-powered defensive magic, the two of them would have been killed by the elemental chaos—or at least severely wounded.
“But since we’re fine, the stronger the better.”
Winnidith climbed out of the dirt pile and looked toward Elaril’s position.
Beneath the four-colored mushroom cloud was an enormous crater nearly ten meters deep.
Inside the pit, not only was there no trace of Elaril, but Alvain and the kingdom’s two 9th-tier warriors had also vanished without a trace.
Only the Sacred Tree’s thick, dragon-like roots were visible.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Oh no.
I was so focused on dealing with Elaril that I might have caught Lia’s father in the blast.
But could a Four Symbols Return to Void, fusing four elements, truly annihilate two Saint Realm beings?
Probably not.
Otherwise, Saint Realm wouldn’t be so hard to kill.
“Father? Where is he?”
Lia shared the same doubt.
The answer came in a gentle voice that made their hair stand on end.
“Please rest assured. His Majesty has not suffered any harm.”
Bam!
A figure crashed beside them like a cannonball.
It was Etheriel.
His body bore several bloody holes, some piercing vital organs.
He had completely lost combat ability.
Only Elaril could have inflicted such damage in such a short time.
She had transformed.
Her fair skin had turned a seductive brown.
Pink thorn-like patterns covered her body, crossing into a heart shape on her forehead.
Gone was her holy demeanor as a clergywoman—she was now filled with a degenerate, seductive desire.
But more striking was the black crown floating above her head.
Just one glance at it made Winnidith feel her thoughts slow.
Sorrow, shame, emptiness, anxiety—negative emotions surged like a tidal wave, drowning her in endless darkness.
I’m so tired.
Why am I standing here?
To stop the Sacred Tree.
But why must I stop it?
Because if I don’t, I’ll die.
But what’s so scary about death…
“Winnidith! Wake up!”
Winnidith snapped out of the gloom.
A beam of light pierced through the oppressive darkness, providing a haven for the lost.
“Careful. This is the Dark Elves’ exclusive Emotional Pollution. Don’t look directly at her crown.”
Lia sidestepped in front of her, warily watching Elaril.
“This must be her true appearance. That attack just now only made her completely abandon her disguise… Gulets, what a monster.”
She couldn’t help cursing.
While Lia observed Elaril, Elaril was also watching them.
Even after experiencing the power of Four Symbols Return to Void up close, she couldn’t understand how Winnidith had managed to steal her fusion magic and add two new elements into its unstable internal structure.
This defied every known magical law.
But it had happened right before her eyes, leaving no room for doubt.
In Winnidith, Elaril saw the possibility of failure.
So she decided to break the seal early and awaken the Sacred Tree.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty. I truly wished to live with you in this world, but before that, Mother must awaken.”
“Your will has already been eroded by the Sacred Tree. You are nothing but a puppet loyally executing the order to liberate it.”
Alvain and the others were also brought into the air by her.
Looking at the brown-skinned Elaril, his eyes were filled with sorrow.
“This is my duty, my mission.”
Elaril raised her right hand slightly.
Countless vines shot out from the Sacred Tree’s roots like venomous snakes, piercing into Alvain’s body like hooks.
His face began to age at a visible rate.
Realizing what she intended, Lia became extremely agitated.
“Winnidith, I’ll stop Elaril. Prepare your magic quickly!”
With those words, Lia transformed into a flash of light and charged forward.
Before her, Arns had already rushed to Alvain’s side with his sword, ready to cut the bindings.
“Human knight, do not presume to touch the miracle.”
Arns’s soul began to tremble.
Once again, he saw that chaotic, candy-colored, strange space—and the blurred figure that made even inanimate objects fall in love.
His consciousness struggled to resist sinking into Her power.
His mouth unconsciously chanted Her name.
“Sla…”
At the final moment before his awareness fully faded, a flash of light pierced the false world.
!!
He jolted awake to find that his right arm, which had been holding the sword, was now covered in black smoke.
He tried to break free, but the black smoke clung like mud—not only impossible to escape, but tightening its grip.
He couldn’t be sure when he might fall back into that illusion.
But his rich combat experience let him make the best decision in an instant: he used Douqi to sever his arm.
A sound judgment.
Alvain nodded approvingly.
It was he who had just used a bit of hidden power to rescue Arns from the illusion.
Elaril watched it all without intervening.
An Eighth Rank knight of mortal rank—just approaching her would let her surrounding black mist devour him into a pleasure-crazed monster.
The only ones here truly capable of harming her were Lia, bearing the Great Demon Rank, and Winnidith, whom even the True God feared.
She looked down at the tiny silver figure.
Winnidith was preparing her magic—a restrained light-element magic.
Elaril’s eyelids lowered slightly.