Translator: AnubisTL
The Combat Wizard Apprentices formed a makeshift defensive formation, continuously casting spells that countered the fire element in an attempt to suppress the magical beast.
However, their limited numbers significantly weakened their firepower.
The fire elemental beast's fiery breath and wide-area lava blasts repeatedly tore gaps in their defenses.
"Their defensive system is far too fragile," Jieming observed. "With so few of them, they can't establish adequate group protection."
He watched as an apprentice's energy shield shattered instantly under the beast's lava blast, sending the apprentice flying backward to crash heavily against the rock wall behind him, leaving a scorched, humanoid-shaped indentation.
"Their energy is too dispersed, lacking resilience... and their shields are too uniform, unable to adapt to different attack types," he thought. "Besides, the shields' defensive power is far too weak. Could these really be spells cast by second-tier apprentices?"
When the beast suddenly unleashed a magma attack imbued with earth elemental power, instantly killing one of the apprentices, chaos erupted among the group.
Their spell artifacts and potions were rapidly depleting, and their incantations and spellcasting gestures grew increasingly frantic and panicked, causing their combat efficiency to plummet.
Finally, after the magical beast unleashed a earth-shattering roar, a massive wave of flames erupted outward.
The apprentices' defenses completely collapsed. Several were engulfed by the flames, their agonizing screams piercing the air.
The survivors dragged their wounded comrades away, their faces etched with despair as they retreated from the beast.
"They crumbled so quickly..." Jieming shook his head inwardly.
He had initially believed they could hold out longer, even thinking that with a competent leader, they might have been able to defeat the beast.
But now it was clear he had overestimated the capabilities of ordinary Combat Wizard Apprentices.
Jieming realized that the Combat Department apprentices he encountered in the Logistics Department, who chose to study alchemy, were generally those with exceptional innate talent or abilities, allowing them to afford the continuous expenses of elective studies.
The truly ordinary wizard apprentices, like the ones who had just fled, had barely managed to reach the Third-Tier Apprentice stage and had mastered few third-tier apprentice spells or equipment.
Jieming didn't reveal himself immediately. He waited until the fleeing apprentices had completely vanished from sight before emerging from behind the crystal ore.
He strode toward the lava lake's edge, his eyes burning with a mixture of anticipation and excitement.
This fire elemental beast was likely the first creature he had encountered that wasn't a living being in the traditional sense, but rather a pure elemental construct.
"A pure energy construct... Even though the fundamental particles of this world are similar to those of my previous life, such a creature can still exist? Could this be the legendary energy life form?" Jieming's gaze burned with fervor.
In short, he was intensely interested in this thing!
Sensing Jieming's presence, the fire elemental beast abandoned its pursuit of its enemies, its massive body pivoting to face him. With a thunderous roar, it charged.
Jieming didn't hold back. He immediately activated his rune-imbued magical artifact, a circular pendant that began to spin before him, emitting a deep, resonant hum.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Four fireballs erupted from the pendant almost simultaneously, each hurtling like a miniature cannon shell with terrifying force, striking the fire elemental beast's chest with pinpoint accuracy.
Before the echoes of the explosions could fade, another four fireballs were already streaking forth.
Guided by the rune-imbued magical artifact, the raging fire element was compressed to its absolute limit and detonated. Each fireball carried power far exceeding that of an ordinary wizard's spells, amplified several times over!
Despite being a fire elemental beast, its massive body trembled violently under Jieming's relentless barrage of fireballs.
"ROAR!!!"
The beast roared in fury, attempting to unleash a fiery breath attack in retaliation.
But Jieming gave it no chance. Moving with blinding speed, he circled the beast, unleashing a saturated assault.
Fireball, fireball, and more fireballs!
The dense explosions echoed ceaselessly, and the already scorching area grew even hotter under the relentless inferno.
This fire elemental beast, nearly at the level of a first-tier official wizard, couldn't mount an effective defense against Jieming's sustained, high-frequency attacks.
Its body gradually crumbled under the terrifying assault, molten lava splattering everywhere.
In less than two minutes, the once-imposing elemental beast let out a final, mournful wail before dissolving into scattered elemental particles, vanishing into the air.
Jieming exhaled, retracting the rune-imbued magical artifact, which had grown uncomfortably hot.
Activating his energy shield, he walked to the center of the lava lake and retrieved the high-scoring token that glowed brightly. He casually collected some essence fragments left behind by the dissipated fire elemental beast before departing the area, now ravaged by flames and elemental chaos, with a satisfied air.
Meanwhile, several kilometers away, atop a twisted, withered tree, an apprentice lay prone, his pupils constricted and cold sweat streaming down his forehead.
He clutched a concealed reconnaissance spell artifact, its energy signature barely discernible—no brighter than the faint glow of a second-tier wizard apprentice's spell artifact. Yet it managed to project a distant image into his mind's eye.
Only when Jieming's figure vanished beyond the artifact's detection range did the apprentice's taut nerves gradually relax. He gasped for breath, his body trembling uncontrollably.
It was then he realized he had been holding his breath the entire time.
He had arrived earlier, witnessing Jieming's arrival on the battlefield and the subsequent rout of the other apprentices.
He had expected Jieming to either hide like himself or simply leave.
But what he had seen defied belief!
The man had actually faced that Flame Beast alone—the creature even a team couldn't defeat!
Even more astonishing was the battle itself.
No, perhaps "battle" was the wrong word. It was more accurately described as a "slaughter."
The apprentice... cast spells without any incantation, without any complex incantations. He simply unleashed a relentless barrage of fireballs at the magical beast!
The fireballs streamed forth in an unbroken torrent, their speed astonishing and their destructive power terrifying.
"This... how is this possible?" The apprentice's hands trembled so violently he could barely hold his spell artifact steady.
That tiny figure, alone, faced a monstrous beast capable of crushing their entire team.
In just two minutes!
The colossal and terrifying fire elemental beast had been utterly annihilated!
"Who... who exactly is he?" The apprentice pressed himself flat against the withered tree branch, terrified of making the slightest sound that might draw the "monster's" attention.
He had gathered extensive intelligence on various "geniuses," but there was absolutely no record of this apprentice.
After lying motionless on the branch for an extended period, confirming that the figure had indeed ignored him, the apprentice slowly climbed down the tree.
As soon as his feet touched the ground, he cast multiple enhancement spells on himself and fled in the opposite direction from where Jieming had departed, without looking back.
No way!
He wouldn't want to encounter that kind of monster even if his life depended on it. Otherwise, he'd die without even knowing how!
(End of the Chapter)