"It's actually regenerating with Magic Power..." Lefiya stared at the scene in utter confusion.
Those red particles were undoubtedly Magic Power.
A monster capable of chanting Magic was already something unprecedented. A monster that knew how to use Magic Power to heal itself was even more unheard of!
"Did that thing regenerate itself with Magic Power while casting its spell?"
"Doesn't that mean it can restore itself whenever it wants?"
"Then the reason it didn't heal itself earlier... could it have been a trap?"
Tiona and Tione exchanged remarks, voicing a terrifying possibility that sent chills through everyone.
It could have healed itself instantly, yet it had deliberately appeared weak.
There was only one explanation, it had prepared some kind of trap and was luring them into it.
And it was very likely a certain-kill strike.
If they had really broken through the vine armor and flower armor earlier and pushed past the rain of tentacles, what would have awaited them in the end was probably that certain-kill attack!
"This thing... actually has combat intelligence?" Ryoji sucked in a cold breath.
No wonder his sense of impending danger had been so intense just now!
Fortunately, Finn had ordered everyone to retreat in time. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Someone might truly have died here!
"...Burn, burn, burn! Vortex of flames, wall of crimson lotus, roar of karmic fire! Grant this one the power of storms to seal the world! Burn the heavens, burn the earth, burn the seas, burn the lakes, burn the mountains, burn all life! Reduce everything to scorched wasteland! Release your roar of grief and wrath, for the heroes who have fallen for this one!"
"Dance, Spirits of the atmosphere! Master of Light! I who have formed a covenant with the guardian deity of the forest beseech you, let the song of the earth envelop us and protect us, "
The monster's chant and Riveria's chant progressed simultaneously.
Yet the enemy's chant left both Riveria and Lefiya, the two mages, deeply shaken.
It was a long-incantation spell.
Moreover, it was being performed at a chanting speed that even Elven Royalty could not hope to match.
The monster's mastery of Magic far surpassed Riveria's.
That was the conclusion both women reached as they listened to the overlapping chants.
The enemy was loading an enormous amount of Magic Power into its spell at a terrifying speed.
The fluctuations of that Magic Power were so overwhelming that even Ryoji felt his heart tremble. For a moment, it felt as though he were facing a giant dragon roaring at the sky.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Within seconds, with Lefiya's support, everyone fighting on the front lines had returned to the formation.
"Everyone, get inside Riveria's barrier!"
After assessing the situation, Finn issued the most appropriate command.
"I beseech thee, become a giant wall of forest light and protect us! My name is Alf!"
Riveria swung her staff.
With a loud shout, she unleashed her strongest defensive spell.
"...Dimension Severance!"
An emerald-green magic circle spread out beneath her feet. Dazzling light formed a hemispherical green domain, enveloping all fourteen people, including the caster herself.
It was a barrier spell capable of blocking all forms of attack, physical and magical alike, sustained by Riveria's Magic Power.
Meanwhile, the ultra-long chant performed at high speed finally reached its conclusion.
"...Inferno Tempest!"
At that instant, the entire world was dyed red.
Like Surtr, the giant who brings about the catastrophe of flame, the enemy unleashed a vast storm of fire!
A tsunami-like wave of flames came roaring from the front, filling Riveria's vision with blazing crimson.
The enormous firewave swallowed the monster horde, swallowed the green barrier, and engulfed more than half the floor.
The monsters did not even have time to scream before they were reduced to ashes.
The only sound reaching their ears was the howling of the flames.
The only thing visible before their eyes was a sea of fire glowing like molten iron.
"Ah...!"
At the very front, the Elven Royalty could not help but drop to one knee, a heart-wrenching groan escaping her lips.
Crack!
In a daze, they heard the crisp sound of something shattering.
A thin, discordant line appeared on the green barrier.
As if that were the trigger, countless cracks rapidly spread across the entire barrier.
Witnessing this scene, every muscle in Ryoji's body tensed instantly.
At this moment, there was nothing anyone could do to help Riveria withstand such overwhelming pressure.
"Gareth!"
Riveria shouted sternly.
Boom!
The dwarf immediately understood his companion's intent. Raising his twin shields, he slammed them into the ground and stood behind Riveria with unwavering determination.
Rumble!
The barrier had finally reached its limit.
Riveria bore the brunt of the impact.
In an instant, her figure was swallowed by the tidal wave of flames and vanished from everyone's sight.
"Riveria!"
"Aaaahhh!"
Amid Ais's anguished cry, Gareth took up the baton. With his small frame standing at the very front, he shielded everyone behind him.
At that moment, his back seemed incomparably dependable.
Only, what filled everyone with despair was that even Gareth's unparalleled defense was being steadily eroded by the overwhelming sea of flames. Step by step, he was being forced backward.
"Everyone, put your hands on me!"
With the situation on the verge of hopelessness, Ryoji took a deep breath.
The next moment, he stepped behind Gareth and shouted sharply, spreading his back as much as possible.
Without hesitation,
Everyone obeyed.
One hand after another pressed against his back.
Ryoji, in turn, placed his hand against Gareth's back.
In that instant, he operated the Magic Power within his body in a way he had never attempted before.
Through their connected hands, he poured his Magic Power into their bodies, creating a temporary circulation of Magic Power among everyone present.
This was a technique that could only be performed if others trusted him completely.
Even the slightest resistance would cause Ryoji's Magic Power to be rejected by their bodies.
Yet at this moment, not a single attempt failed.
Everyone placed absolute trust in him.
"Then I can't let any of you down!"
Ryoji's eyes widened, blood vessels instantly filling them.
He forcibly broke through his own instinct for self-preservation, drawing forth even more Magic Power from the depths of his soul and pushing his magical output to its absolute limit!
Rumble!
The massive wave of flames finally broke through Gareth's shields, lifting him off the ground uncontrollably.
But the power surging from behind forced his shoulders back down.
Without saying a word, Gareth stood at the very forefront like a pioneer leading the way, facing the raging inferno without a trace of hesitation.
The roaring sea of flames swept past, engulfing every single one of them.
In merely a few seconds, the gray earth was dyed crimson, only to be scorched pitch-black immediately afterward.
The entire 59th Floor had been transformed into a flaming purgatory by a single spell.
Its destructive power far surpassed Lefiya's volley of Fire Javelins and even Riveria's ultimate spell, Wynn Fimbulvetr: Laevateinn.
"Hehe... hehe... hahahaha...!"
The Fallen Spirit stood there.
Everything before her eyes had been reduced to scorched wasteland, causing her to burst into delighted laughter.
Then the dust gradually settled.
And her laughter came to an abrupt halt.
(End of Chapter)
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