But the moment Karl starts to get serious... the devastated land and the dying, bleeding Spitfire Demon before him are the best outcome.
One strike, just one strike, and the Spitfire Demon, having exhausted all its methods without achieving any significant effect, was completely stripped of its ability to resist.
Moreover, judging by Karl's calm demeanor, this is likely far from his full strength.
Thinking this, a chill ran quietly through the crevices of Borch's dragon bones.
For the first time, it became clear what the true nature of this seemingly approachable "neighbor" and "friend" was.
His true power is so immense that it surpasses his own understanding.
"Ugh... crackle..." Below, the Spitfire Demon let out a weak, intermittent hiss, no longer a furious roar, but a deathbed moan.
Its huge, complex compound eyes turned with difficulty, reflecting the sun-like figure in the sky.
The madness, bloodthirst, and desire for destruction that filled those eyes had significantly dimmed, like a flame extinguished by cold water.
Then followed undisguised fear and... a barely perceptible hint of submission?
At that moment, completely unexpectedly, a large amount of dark red light appeared on the Spitfire Demon's battered body.
These rays of light quickly intertwined and spread, forming a cocoon that instantly enveloped the Spitfire Demon.
Immediately after, the cocoon of light, along with the Spitfire Demon inside, disappeared without a trace in a whirl of strong fluctuations.
Proof of its existence remained only in the huge crater and the residual energy fluctuations in the atmosphere.
Karl watched the place where the Spitfire Demon disappeared, feeling a weak feedback through the still-existing magical connection in his consciousness.
When the summoned creature is under a mortal threat and falls into a deathbed state, the contract's protection mechanism is triggered.
It was forcibly teleported back to its original world, where it would recover.
The double cross summoning spell created by Arzu represents a risk-reward ratio completely disproportionate to the caster.
When the summoned creature is on the verge of death, it can automatically return to its base to recover health. However, if the caster cannot control the summoned creature, the only outcome is death.
"These contract terms are too unfair," he shook his head. "No wonder a genius like Arzu ultimately fell victim to the very monster he summoned."
A sorcerer's ability system is largely based on spells, and when facing a monster like the Spitfire Demon, the effectiveness of spells is significantly reduced or even becomes ineffective.
Faced with these thick-skinned, incredibly powerful beings, they are no different from ordinary people: fragile and easily defeated.
"However... I am determined to tame this Spitfire Demon." Karl's eyes flashed with interest.
"Once it has recovered a bit, we can summon it for a few more 'sparring sessions.' I'm sure it will soon bow before us and acknowledge us as its masters."
In its final moments, besides fear, a flicker of hesitation could be seen in its eyes.
He turned to Borch, who was still somewhat stunned, standing beside him, a smile reappeared on his face, and he said sincerely: "Borch, thank you for your help."
Although Borch seemed to relax and perform weakly in the battle due to the Spitfire Demon's extremely high magic resistance,
it was precisely this kindness – coming to help without hesitation upon sensing danger – that Karl remembered, and it was only right to thank them.
Borch awoke from his tangled thoughts, slightly lowered his dragon head in acknowledgment, his voice still trembling.
"There's no need, Karl. We are friends." A pause; it seemed unwilling to discuss the shocking scene that had just unfolded.
"Recently, the dragon egg's activity has increased, so it will probably hatch soon. I need to go back and observe it carefully, so I'm leaving now."
"Oh? I look forward to the birth of the little dragon." Karl nodded with a smile.
Borch said nothing more, and with a powerful flap of its huge wings, it stirred up a gust of wind, and its dragon body soared upwards, flying swiftly towards its nest.
After Borch's figure disappeared over the horizon, Karl slowly descended.
At the same time, with a slight thought, he withdrew the remnants of the golden divine power that had scattered across the battlefield and had not yet fully dissipated into his body.
Although these scattered energies are insignificant to him, they cannot be wasted.
He landed lightly on the platform at the top of the cliff where Triss, Keira, and Hen were.
Keira watched Karl's landing, her eyes still full of extreme shock, and she unconsciously breathed heavily.
She unconsciously glanced at Triss standing beside her, then at the calm Hen, noticing that neither seemed inclined to speak immediately.
She tightly pressed her mouth shut, barely daring to breathe, and tried to blend into the background as unobtrusively as possible.
Triss took a deep breath, struggling to suppress the churning disappointment, confusion, and sense of loss.
She forced a seemingly relaxed smile as she watched Karl approach.
In the calmest voice, with a hint of reproach and questioning, she quietly asked: "Karl, about everything that just happened…"
"Regarding the power you demonstrated, power far surpassing our understanding… don't you have anything to say to me?"
Her gaze was fixed on Karl's eyes: "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes today, I would probably still believe…"
"that you are just an incredibly talented sorcerer with limitless potential…" She slightly emphasized the word "sorcerer."
Karl looked into Triss's eyes, which were trying so hard to stay calm but could not hide the turmoil within, and somewhat awkwardly touched the tip of his nose.
"Actually... from a certain perspective, your point of view isn't wrong."
"Just as a sorcerer's identity can coexist with roles like lord and knight of Terra without being mutually exclusive."
"Part of the power I possess can indeed be attributed to energy…"
"Or rather, the application in this world of a certain force similar to magic."
He paused, looking at Triss's still furrowed brows, understanding that this explanation would not satisfy her.
Then he continued: "And another part is related to something more fundamental... a difference in the level of life."
"This is a completely different concept from simply learning and using magic."
"Level of life?" Triss raised her eyebrows higher, lowered her arms from hugging herself, and unconsciously tapped her fingers on her shoulders.
The feigned relaxation on her face gradually faded, revealing the hidden seriousness and confusion.
Karl nodded slightly, meeting Hen's understanding gaze, Triss's confusion, and Keira's awe.
He stated the facts, which might be difficult for them to accept, in the calmest tone.
"Simply put, as long as they are mortal, most races have inherent limitations in their lifespan: they get sick, age, and their lifespan is limited."
"And sorcerers, in my opinion, only slow down this process to some extent using their knowledge and magic."