Chapter 364: Return
Ever since she was an apprentice, Daina had been nurturing a special kind of Inherent Mana—a unique Inherent Mana capable of devouring the souls of various dead monsters.
As she advanced to become a 2-Ring Wizard, this Inherent Mana devoured several Intermediate Monsters, becoming more agile and powerful. Using activation-series spells, Daina completely animated this highly spiritual Inherent Mana, creating her unique 2-Ring Spell, “Realistic Projection.”
This mana was also called Animated Realistic Mana. Usually stored within Daina’s Soul Sanctuary, it could simulate various weapons and divide itself during combat.
After Arno was enveloped by Hatred, Daina couldn’t recognize who was opposite her at all. Because Arno had abandoned the Virtue Holy Light and changed his creed, his aura had completely altered.
Daina tentatively threw a blood-red Mana Crystal Short Sword. Clang!
With a crisp metallic sound, the enemy opposite her wasn’t injured. Daina subsequently stopped holding back. Leaping into the air, rune structures emerged in her hands. Blood-red mana surged, and a wide variety of Mana Crystal Weapons shot out like a torrent.
These weapons carried unstable structures and seemed to be infused with the explosive properties of the fire element, exploding one after another.
Arno said in a hoarse voice, “It’s me, Arno.”
Daina didn’t believe it at all. Although the voice sounded a bit like Arno, the power characteristics were too different. How could a Knight of Courage look like this?
Betty and the others also arrived hurriedly, joining the battlefield.
Silver liquid metal quickly covered Betty, proliferating constantly. Within seconds, it transformed into a towering, majestic mechanical warrior.
The mechanical warrior spread its wings and soared into the air. Dense rune structures emerged in front of it, and hundreds of ultra-high-temperature explosive flame bullets attacked Arno.
Polina sat on the shoulder of a tall Gargoyle, diving directly toward Arno.
Caruso transformed into an Intermediate Monster, the Snow Peak Sabertooth Tiger, spraying extreme cold ice and snow from his mouth, intending to slow Arno down or freeze him completely.
Arno didn’t want to hurt his own people. Wrapping himself firmly in the power of Hatred, he shouted loudly, “Lord Ace has fainted and will arrive right after me. Whether I am Arno or not will be known then.”
The group opposite him was bewildered. Betty and the others were skeptical. Daina’s heart tightened, and she asked shrilly, “What happened to Lord Ace?”
Arno replied, “I, Uncle Ancestar, and Ollie encountered the Northern Abyssal Projection Lord Alex. Despite fighting with all our might, the Melancholy Uncle died, and Ollie was critically injured and near death. They have both been sealed in ice coffins by Lord Ace.”
Daina was anxious and interrupted Arno: “I asked you, where is Lord Ace?”
Everyone temporarily stopped attacking. Looking at Arno carrying two ice coffins, they felt it shouldn’t be fake. Although it was strange that Arno had become like this, now wasn’t the time to worry about his state.
Arno answered in a deep voice, “Lord Ace banished the two Alexes and fainted from exhaustion.”
Betty controlled the mechanical warrior. Layers of explosive flame bullet rune structures were primed but held back. Aiming at Arno, she said cautiously, “Stand there, put down the ice coffins, and don’t move.”
Polina asked in confusion, “What is banishment?”
Caruso transformed back to his original form and asked, “How can there be two Alexes?”
Arno scratched his head. He actually didn’t understand these magics very well. “Lord Ace seemed to say it was spatial banishment. I don’t know why there were two Alexes either. You can ask him specifically when he wakes up.”
More and more Advanced Wizard Apprentices arrived. Eddie, riding his latest Advanced Apprentice-level Gargoyle, felt uneasy. He longed for a battle to test his familiar, but he didn’t long for a battle with a huge disparity in strength at all.
“Even with magic traps, I’m afraid the enemy this time is very difficult to deal with. The commotion at the port area is so big; if things go wrong, everyone might have to wander everywhere.”
Thinking this, Eddie arrived at the place where the enemy was discovered, only to find the magic councilors confronting each other in a strange manner, looking at each other in dismay.
Former Chief Magistrate Leon arrived in a hurry. He had already boarded the Magic Brig, but seeing his daughter rush out, he couldn’t help following her.
“Dad has been unlucky for a long time before discovering the mystery of misfortune. I can definitely lend you a hand when necessary.”
With this thought, Leon also rushed over. Arriving there, he also found everyone looking at each other in dismay. He randomly found a young man riding a Gargoyle (Eddie) and asked what had happened.
A few minutes later, Aleias, carrying Ace, arrived at the border of the High Tower alongside Xavier and the others. Looking at the crowded mass of Advanced Wizard Apprentices, they were also somewhat baffled.
Xavier plucked up the courage to ask, “Did you know we won and come to welcome us?”
Betty rolled her eyes at this simple-minded Advanced Knight Squire and said in a somewhat lazy and arrogant tone, “None of you sent us a magic signal, idiot!”
Xavier scratched his head and said, “It seems… it seems we really forgot.”
Daina stared at Aleias carrying Ace as if seeing a nemesis. Comparing herself with Aleias, her figure lost completely; small buns couldn’t compare to waves. In terms of temperament, Aleias had an indescribable feeling, seemingly very arrogant. Their appearances were of two different styles.
Daina was sweet like the girl next door, always calling herself a lady and dressing like one. Aleias looked completely like a wild female warrior, though their fighting styles might be similar.
Daina stared at Ace lying on Aleias’s back. 2-Ring Spell: Micro-Electric Hyper-Activation Cell Spell. In an instant, her body cells were activated to the extreme, bursting with extreme speed and power.
Her blood-red Realistic Mana quickly turned into chains, binding Aleias fiercely. Then, she gently mimicked a bed with the Realistic Mana, letting Ace lie down.
Then Daina floated up slowly, the pendant on her chest swaying. Looking Aleias in the eye, she said in a voice as cold as winter, “Who are you? Why haven’t I seen you in the High Tower? Why are you carrying Lord Ace?”
Aleias struggled with all her might, but her items had all been disjuncted by Ace, and she herself was largely drained from shooting the Life-Hunting Arrow. She had practically gritted her teeth to reach the High Tower Territory, so she truly had no strength to resist Daina’s chains.
She pursed her lips and remained silent. Arno couldn’t stand it and said, “This is a servant living in Lord Ace’s Mental Imagery World, someone who serves Lord Ace. Moreover, she contributed greatly to defeating Alex. Don’t treat her like this.”
Daina didn’t finish listening. Only the phrase “someone who serves Lord Ace” echoed in her mind. Tears suddenly swirled in her eyes. She loosened the chains, and the bed made of Realistic Mana dragged Ace behind her.
“I’m taking Lord Ace back to the West Tower to recuperate!”
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