She could feel that her vision had become unprecedentedly sharp, and her perception of the surroundings had grown more acute. She could even vaguely sense the hostile aura around her; all enemies appeared as red dots in her perception.
"Divine Arts may not often kill directly, but in terms of auxiliary effects, they are indeed much stronger than witchcraft," Gavin mused. "Witchcraft usually only works on individuals, while Divine Arts can be cast over a wide area."
"Amy!" Gavin cautioned, "You must pay close attention to the surroundings. As soon as you notice a large group of Kolon soldiers approaching, we must retreat immediately. We absolutely cannot afford to engage in prolonged combat."
"...Yes," Amy sighed.
She understood Gavin's intention: complete the mission as quickly as possible, regardless of how well it was done. However, this meant that Carl and the others would be under immense pressure.
While she was contemplating this, Gavin, already holding his Magic Wand, gently pointed towards a nearby wall. "Stone Melting!"
The sturdy wall, built of rocks, turned into soft mud under the effect of the witchcraft and scattered on the ground.
"Go!" Dunps waved his hand.
The accompanying Knights and Knight Attendants charged into the courtyard through the breach, swiftly dealing with the nearby sentries.
Gunfire erupted, accompanied by loud shouts.
"There's an assassin!"
Amidst the rising alarm, Gavin yelled, "Quick!" He waved his Magic Wand, and the ground rippled like the surface of water, knocking several people in front of him to the ground.
Amy summoned Magic Creatures, conjuring a Gale with a wave of her hand. Sand obscured vision, and sharp Wind Blades were mixed within the storm.
The group charged into the courtyard, almost unstoppable.
On the ridge of a roof, several people were shrouded in witchcraft, making them difficult to discern with the naked eye.
The sight of a large contingent of soldiers rushing towards the princess's residence surprised Du Lu and the others, but their surprise soon turned to elation.
"Good job, Gavin!" Ben lightly clapped his hands. "He's managed to draw away so many of them, making our task here much easier."
"Perhaps the Kolon forces never expected that, aside from Gando's resistance fighters within the city, there would also be us, so they were somewhat unprepared," Xue Li said with a smile. "But this is a good thing."
"We need to be swift," Du Lu said, considering the broader situation. "We must eliminate the target quickly and then go help Gavin. They're likely in significant trouble this time."
For some reason, nearly all the soldiers in this area had been deployed, enough to completely seal off all the streets near the princess. Without help, Gavin and the others had an extremely low chance of survival.
A Wizard's methods were mysterious and powerful, it was true. However, they usually couldn't be sustained for long. Once their spiritual power was exhausted, they were even weaker than a Knight Attendant.
"Go!" With a wave of his Magic Wand, Du Lu took the lead and rushed toward the mansion, landing lightly before darting forward like an arrow.
Concealed by witchcraft, their movements were difficult for ordinary people to detect.
Before long, the group of five arrived near a study.
"Eight distinct auras," Xue Li narrowed her eyes. "There are two Wizard Apprentices, five Knights, and one other person whose aura I can't sense clearly."
"It must be Bob." She possessed a Druid Bloodline and had specialized training in sensory witchcraft, so she was unlikely to be mistaken in this regard.
"Get ready." Du Lu took a deep breath, retrieved a Potion from his person, and gulped it down. Then, holding his Magic Wand, he cast several buffs on himself.
Lesser Spell Force Field!
The others did the same. Each person consumed at least one Potion; Ben even chugged down three, stacking various buffs.
Carl opened his mouth and, without a word, took out a Potion that could temporarily increase his spiritual power and drank it.
No wonder they say Wizard Apprentices possess terrifying lethality; an Advanced Wizard Apprentice can kill a Legendary Knight.
With all these buffs, the burst damage they can unleash in a short time is several times their normal output. The spells Ben cast even directly made his physical strength momentarily comparable to a Great Knight.
Carl knew this was the norm for duels between Wizard Apprentices; engaging in combat without preparation was the exception. But seeing it for the first time, he couldn't help but be surprised.
Once everyone was ready, Du Lu took another deep breath, held his Magic Wand, and looked ahead. "Attack!"
Zero-Circle Magic—Soul Shock!
Bankroft's Magic Wand resembled an old man's walking stick. He held it with both hands, his eyes tightly shut.
Zero-Circle Magic—Arcane Missile!
Ben and Xue Li stood shoulder to shoulder, each opening their palms and releasing seeds that flew forward.
Zero-Circle Magic—Wild Growth!
In an instant, amplified by numerous buffs, the terrifying Zero-Circle Magic erupted simultaneously.
An invisible force field descended from nowhere.
Fist-sized Arcane Missiles rained down like a torrent towards the study in front.
Countless thick, thorny vines, each as thick as a child's arm, grew at an astonishing speed, encompassing the entire study.
Even a Legendary Creature facing such an onslaught would likely be torn to shreds in an instant.
A red glow surfaced on the study's exterior. A shield of converging flames materialized out of thin air, shattering the incoming attacks. As they attacked, the leakage of their spiritual fluctuations had given the Kolon side time to prepare.
But one side had come prepared, bolstered by numerous buffs, while the other was caught off-guard and clearly at a disadvantage.
Amidst the roar, the study was utterly reduced to rubble.
Five of the eight auras had vanished without a trace; the remaining three were significantly weakened.
"Quick!" Du Lu roared. "Don't let them escape!"
The ground beneath Carl shook, and he shot out with astonishing speed, like a cannonball. Mid-air, his twin swords CLANGED as they were drawn, slashing down in a cross pattern at a figure below.
A head hit the ground. The body hadn't even collapsed before it turned to stone under the effect of the Petrification Skill.
Huh? Something's not right! This person isn't our target!
His heart pounded. He crossed his swords in front of him, and the Defensive Magic, Azure Wave Guardian, instantly deployed. There was also the Lesser Spell Force Field, gravitational manipulation, and more.
A Longsword sliced through the void, piercing the force field and the water's resistance, clashing against the crossed swords.
A terrifying force exploded.
Carl's eyes bulged as the ground beneath him cracked. He was blasted ten meters away by this immense power. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel※fire.net
"Huh?" The attacker voiced his surprise, seemingly not expecting his full-powered strike to be blocked. He then swiftly dashed towards Ben and Xue Li.
"Be careful!" Carl yelled. "He's a Legendary!"
Before his warning could fully leave his lips, Ben's head had already separated from his body, soaring high into the air.