The giant gorilla was slain, its body disappearing in a flash of light.
Luke descended from the Clear Sky, gliding across the ice like a bouncing ball towards Willede.
Seeing the elf's swift movements and how effortlessly she killed her summon, Willede immediately changed tactics.
He dispersed the whirlwinds that consumed mana, were slow in speed, and easily weakened by obstacles. Even the seemingly ineffective electric chains were retracted.
He grasped his staff and slammed it forcefully into the ground, the tip of the staff piercing into the floor. A large magic array unfolded, centered around the staff.
Transparent walls of air rose within the magic array, forming a maze that trapped Luke inside.
Luke came to a halt in front of one of the walls of air.
She knew that these walls of air were compressed gases, and the refraction of light created by their high density made them visible. Inside, they stored immense air pressure, which, when unleashed, could create a powerful air hammer.
Coupled with the refraction of light and mirror magic...
Luke looked at Willede through the wall of air, and eight copies of Willede appeared. They stood in different directions covered by the magic array and kept changing positions.
An air maze.
It was a large formation specifically developed by Willede for castle environments. Once trapped inside the maze, it was easy to trigger the air hammers due to the limited space in the vertical and horizontal dimensions.
As the formation operated, the wall of air in front of Luke pressed forward.
Luke retreated at the same speed as the advancing wall of air, her eyes observing her surroundings.
The air wall explosion was triggered only when the marked spell seal by Willede was touched, activating the air hammers. The reason was that Willede would also be affected by the refraction of light inside the air maze, making it difficult for him to accurately locate the enemy's position.
Luke had the magic seal marked by Willede.
The formation controlled the constant movement of the air walls, and when one wall was triggered, the entire formation would control all the air walls to press forward. With a series of air hammer bombardments, no one could withstand such an onslaught.
"Elf, your strength surpasses my expectations. As long as you hand over the Book of Calamity, this battle can be interrupted at any time," Willede's voice came from all directions.
Luke maintained her speed while retreating, and when her back was about to touch the air wall behind her, she swiftly sidestepped through the gap between two air walls.
"Willede, are you so confident in your formation? 3!" Luke spoke, dodging another approaching air wall as she talked.
Willede didn't understand why the elf would say "3" after finishing a sentence.
"I just don't want to see someone as talented as you die here. You're strong, and I can tell you're young... If you can survive to my age, you'll definitely surpass me."
Luke evaded another air wall.
"Thank you for your praise. 2!"
"Don't remain obstinate. Soon, new air walls will be generated within the formation, and you won't have any space to evade. You... will truly die!"
"I know..." Luke faced the approaching air walls from both sides without panicking. She stared at the air wall directly in front of her and said to Willede, "Willede, do you know a technique that can reach your staff within four steps?"
"What do you mean?" Willede asked.
"Just this... 1."
When Luke said "1," the air wall in front of her moved away. In front of her, all the obstructing air walls coincidentally formed a narrow corridor during this movement, with the other end of the corridor being the staff inserted by Willede.
This opportunity was discovered by countless players who died countless times in the air maze, searching for the four-step technique.
Regardless of where they were in the air maze, by using this four-step technique, they could reach this point within four steps, and the air walls would form a very short-lived pathway to the staff in the next movement.
Once missed, the formation would generate new air walls, and players could only rely on defense to withstand the continuous air hammer explosions.
The timing was only a moment.
Luke, who was already prepared, burst forth with her maximum speed the moment the air wall moved away in front of her. Her figure left an afterimage, and with another teleportation, she appeared right beside the staff.
Meanwhile, Willede failed to grasp the staff due to the release of the formation.
He watched in disbelief as the elf appeared in an incredible manner, then reached out and pulled out the staff.
With the core of the formation removed, all the air walls emitted a hissing sound and disappeared rapidly.
Luke seized the staff with a long handle, gripping it like a bat. With a flick of her wrist, an ice blade grew from the top of the staff.
Willede's staff transformed into a long spear in Luke's hands, its momentum fierce like a dragon, and its movements graceful like ripples.
Ice walls rose on all sides.
Luke's level was boosted to 120.
Time reversed, catching Willede who was preparing to transform and escape in panic.
The spear thrust forward.
A freezing cold burst forth, freezing Willede on top of the erected ice wall.
Only his head remained.
Then Luke reverted the level of time back to 80.
With one hand, Luke twirled the spear, firmly planting the staff into the ground.
Meanwhile, within such a short time, Willede broke free from the ice and appeared on the other side of the ice wall.
He made no further attacking moves.
The elf's instant burst of power had frightened him, especially the feeling of powerlessness when facing the time reversal. At that moment, he was like a piece of meat on a chopping board.
He also knew that the elf deliberately didn't kill him.
"Thank you."
In response to Willede's gratitude from the other side of the ice wall, Luke smiled and said, "You don't need to thank me. Your death doesn't benefit me. Besides, I didn't expect to come to the Olu Academy and not only obtain the Book of Calamity but also the Insightful Cleaver Staff. It's an unexpected gain."
Willede looked at his staff and said to Luke, "Please return my staff."
"Haha... I won't even give you the Book of Calamity, so why would I give you the Insightful Cleaver Staff? I snatched it fair and square. If you want it, snatch it back yourself. I don't have time to play with you anymore. Goodbye!"
At Luke's feet, where the staff had struck the ground, cracks appeared on the floor.
Then, it collapsed like lower floors.
Luke and falling debris descended to the next level of the castle. By the time Willede reached the gap, he could no longer see the elf's figure.
...
After a long time, Olu mages, Councilor Vigil, imperial spies, and law enforcement officers rushed up and saw Willede standing next to the gap.
Councilor Vigil asked Willede, "Your Excellency, where is that elf?"
"She escaped."
"Did you retrieve the 'Heart of the Red Dragon, Nilcolon'?"
"No
... She also took the 'Book of Calamity' with her."
Upon hearing the name "Book of Calamity," Councilor Vigil was greatly alarmed. "Wasn't the Book of Calamity destroyed? How could you let that elf take it away... It's more dangerous than a red dragon." Willede sighed and said, "What can I do? She even snatched my staff..."