"Who are they?" Wain eyed the newcomers cautiously, his sharp gaze assessing the mysterious figures in white. He had never received any reports about these individuals, and their strength was not to be underestimated. Three of them were at the 4th-grade, while the remaining six were at the 3rd-grade.
"They are from the Order of Light," Luarin, who stood beside him, explained with a hint of fear in her expression. An apostle from the Order of Light had been responsible for her previous injury, which left her uneasy in their presence.
Realizing that these newcomers served another god, Wain's competitive spirit flared. This was the first time he had encountered servants of a different god, and like himself, they were not entirely human. So, rather than attacking them outright, Wain chose to observe their strength.
Meanwhile, Raven Morton and the other inquisitors from the Order of Light were also sizing up Wain.
"Look at that flame! It has to be him," the inquisitor on Raven's left remarked, scrutinizing the charred remnants of the stones left behind by the dark Chaos Flame from Wain's previous attack.
The Chaos Flame was a clear sign of Ollios, and they were certain that he was their intended target. Fortunately, Raven didn't act rashly and decided to return for reinforcements, otherwise he might be in a tough spot at the moment.
As dawn broke, its first rays cast a hopeful light upon the now-ruined Cloudgate Town, symbolizing a new beginning. However, Wain was far from pleased with the situation. He sought refuge in the shadows of the town's walls, knowing that the advancing day would gradually erode his advantage of [Nocturnal Hunter].
Even with his countermeasures, his strength plummeted considerably, and it was only going to worsen. Wain realized he had spent too much time chasing the Cloudgate Town army, but he didn't care about it till now, since he anticipated a smooth victory afterwards.
The unexpected appearance of the Order of Light had complicated the situation immensely and Wain weighed his options. He could use a potion that would temporarily boost his strength, but the inquisitors from the Order of Light didn't seem like fools.
If they spreaded out, he would never be able to eliminate them all, and once the potion's effect wore off, there would be no safe place for him to hide.
With the increasing sunlight, Wain knew he had to act quickly and he unleashed his strongest spell.
4th-grade spell, Ravaging Inferno!
Several torrents of flames materialized all around him and he directed them at the inquisitors, carrying great force.
Despite being at the middle realm of 3rd-grade, Wain's strength had already surpassed the standard of a 4th-grade being. With Luarin fully recovered and their combined power, they now had two 4th-grade beings at their side, as well as eight formidable monsters at the peak of 2nd-grade.
This force should allow them to put up a formidable fight. As for the other monsters, they would likely sustain heavy casualties without significantly impacting the battle, so Wain ordered them to stay back.
"Isolde, go back and report that we've found him!" Raven swiftly commanded, and one of the 3rd-grade inquisitors promptly departed. They couldn't risk losing vital information.
Subsequently, Raven summoned a barrier of light, skillfully blocking the black torrent of flames aimed at him. However, the remaining inquisitors weren't as fortunate, and many of them suffered significant damage.
Observing one of the inquisitors leaving, Wain immediately ordered Octader to deal with the threat. His familiar was skilled when it came to assassination, and after the octopus' recent breakthrough to the 4th-grade, the inquisitor would be easily disposed of..
Luarin engaged in a fierce battle with a 4th-grade inquisitor, while the chieftains effectively occupied the rest of the 3rd-grade inquisitors. Under the influence of [The King of the Night], the chieftains could match even the stronger inquisitors and stand their ground.
Wain was left to face two 4th-grade inquisitors, which was a tough match, but it was definitely doable.
His only limiting factor was mana, as he could only cast a few 4th-grade spells before depleting his reserves. However, having slaughtered the entire Cloudgate Town's army, he possessed nearly eight thousand Chaos Points.
As the two inquisitors launched their assault on Wain, he swiftly bought a violet mana crystal, crushing it in his hand. Although the violet mana crystal had a mana density comparable to a 3rd-grade mana core, releasing its power all at once could rival a 4th-grade spell!
Typically, using such a substantial amount of foreign mana would be impossible, but Wain's high mana affinity allowed him to treat the mana from the crystal as if it were his own. He ignited it with Chaos Flame and directed the surge of power toward the inquisitors.
The inquisitors made attempts to defend, but the sheer raw power overwhelmed them, pushing them hopelessly backward. What's more, the spell's reach was wide enough to affect the other inquisitors in battle as well.
The attack proved devastating, putting the Order of Light forces in a dire position. Unfortunately, violet mana crystals were extremely expensive, and Wain could purchase at most seven more if he didn't mind spending all of his Chaos Points.
However, the inquisitors didn't get discouraged by the confrontation and launched another assault on Wain. It was evident that he had used some sort of artifact to achieve his earlier feat, and it was unlikely that he would be able to replicate it again.
Wain swiftly erected a dark barrier, [Void Protection], in front of him and simultaneously cast an offensive spell, [Fire Impact], with his other hand. He knew that outright victory wasn't an option; he had to stall for time until...
His thoughts were abruptly interrupted as massive tentacles emerged nearby, ambushing one of the 4th-grade inquisitors. This was precisely what he had been waiting for.
However, the unfortunate inquisitor who became the target of Octader's attack wasn't one of the two Wain was currently engaged with but rather the inquisitor who had been facing Luarin.
Luarin was doing fine, why don't you help me? Wain couldn't understand his ungrateful familiar's actions.
Nonetheless, the two remaining inquisitors pressed on with their relentless assault, and despite Wain's best efforts, it became evident that he would soon be overwhelmed by their combined strength.
"Should I purchase another crystal?" Wain contemplated, recognizing that he had limited options.
With a swift movement, he retrieved another crystal and unleashed its power, sending the two inquisitors hurtling away. It was a close call, but the attack had bought him enough time for Octader to deal with the inquisitor it had ambushed and then rush to Wain's aid, accompanied by Luarin.
As Raven observed the dire state of their battle, his frown deepened. He had originally felt quite confident about facing Wain, but Wain's abilities had surpassed his expectations, and the unexpected appearance of the octopus-like monster turned the tides of the battle.
Fleeing was no longer a viable option. They were now outnumbered and surrounded by foes. However, if he had to meet his end, Raven was determined to take the embodiment of evil, Wain, with him.
With resolute decision, Raven retrieved a black, cube-shaped artifact and charged at Wain. He rushed through the flames, disregarding his own life with the sole aim of closing the distance to the malevolent magician.
"Haha, for the glory of Ernos!" the inquisitor laughed maniacally as he activated the artifact, causing the surrounding space to distort.
"Wain!" Luarin cried out in a panic as she spotted the cube-shaped artifact, but it was too late. The artifact suddenly released a powerful shockwave, throwing all of them backward. When they opened their eyes again, both Wain and Raven were gone.