Meanwhile, Lynn and his companions were making their way underground, circling around to approach the castle from the other side.
Everyone was acutely aware of the urgency. Even the injured Barton refused Buck's support, hastily wrapping his wounds with torn clothing, and gritting his teeth, he forced himself to follow the group.
Lynn, in particular, was still replaying the details of the previous spell in his mind.
**Magic Missile**, a basic cantrip, wasn't difficult to learn or use. The real challenge lay in pre-setting the trajectory of each missile.
Lynn hadn't participated in the initial counterattack led by Jonny and the others; he was focused on spell preparation.
Unless 071 assisted him with targeting, controlling twelve **Magic Missiles** at once was his limit, a power roughly equivalent to a higher-level spell.
"Are you really Carl?" Buck couldn't help but ask in the silence.
"Of course!" Lynn nodded.
"But when did you master the Hurlam Formula?" Jonny asked curiously. She had only handed him the **Basic Magic Handbook** an hour ago; it seemed impossible he could learn it just by skimming through it.
"Just now..." Lynn replied offhandedly, then suddenly realized that his original self had only been studying magic for half a year. His answer might have seemed too boastful, so he quickly added, "My teacher once explained the formula to me; it didn't seem that difficult."
Not difficult? Jonny's delicate face showed a hint of bewilderment. If it was so easy, why had she been struggling with it for months?
Buck and Barton both assumed that Carl's mentor, Korlo, must have secretly given him special training.
"White Dove, report the enemy's location and distance!" Lynn changed the subject, looking at the silent girl beside him.
Though her actions in killing Will were suspicious, they had no choice but to rely on her abilities in this dire situation.
"They're everywhere; they're trying to surround us," White Dove trembled as she spoke, her fear palpable.
"What about Archbishop Anseluk? Where is he?" Jonny suddenly asked.
"I don't know. My psychic senses can't detect him..." White Dove was on the verge of tears.
"In that case, we need to find a spot to gather as many enemies as possible and take them out first!" Lynn calmly analyzed.
Aside from the elusive archbishop, their greatest threat now was the crossbowmen's volley. If caught in an open area, they would be cut down by the arrows before they could escape.
"Are you serious, Carl?" Buck's eyes widened in shock.
They were already struggling to flee, and now Lynn was suggesting they gather the enemies for a counterattack? It was sheer madness.
Lynn didn't respond, only glanced at the blood-soaked Barton, who was struggling to keep up.
Buck finally understood. With an injured comrade slowing them down, it wouldn't be long before they were overtaken by enemies on all sides. If they were cornered, there would be no escape.
"How confident are you?" Jonny asked bluntly.
"That depends on how many spells you can cast," Lynn replied decisively.
…
With White Dove's sensing and Lynn's coordination, the guards encircling them from multiple directions arrived simultaneously, trapping the wizard apprentices in a side hall on the castle's first floor.
Six full squads of guards were present, minus those guarding the exits and tending to the wounded. Only the mysterious Archbishop Anseluk remained unaccounted for.
Despite their numerical superiority, Aaron, who had suffered at Lynn's hands earlier, didn't dare to be careless. He ordered the soldiers to advance in a shield wall formation, with crossbowmen ready behind them, while the priests cast supportive divine spells.
**Dispel Fear**, **Divine Blessing**!
Two beams of white light shone, and the shield bearers, reinvigorated with courage and strength, reformed their shield wall and marched forward.
Ahead, Buck stood alone before the advancing soldiers. He lifted a counter weighing several hundred pounds from the ground, his already muscular arms swelling even larger as he summoned superhuman strength to hurl it forward.
"Die!"
The heavy counter crashed into the tightly packed shields, producing a thunderous impact.
Immediately, the stone floor beneath them gave way.
This was the result of a joint spell cast by Jonny and Barton, a first-level spell called **Transmute Rock to Mud**!
The once sturdy armor now became a burden. As the guards were thrown off balance on the soft ground, their previously orderly ranks crumbled into chaos.
Though it was a combined spell from two wizard apprentices, its range was limited. Behind the disarrayed shield bearers, the crossbowmen had already taken aim with their loaded weapons, more than forty sharp bolts pointed directly at Buck...
Please, be quick, White Dove!
A cold sweat trickled down Buck's brow as he prayed silently. This was the moment between life and death!
Fortunately, White Dove didn't disappoint. Just as the crossbow triggers were about to be pulled, an indescribable wail echoed through the castle.
**Soul Scream**
Everyone present felt as if their brains had been struck by a sledgehammer, their bodies rendered momentarily paralyzed.
Friend and foe alike, the eerie power of psychic magic was on full display!
**Soul Scream** had an extensive range but consumed a tremendous amount of energy. After just two seconds, White Dove had to stop, nearly collapsing from the effort.
Jonny and the others felt a surge of anxiety. They had done everything they could, buying five precious seconds and gathering all the enemies in one place.
For Lynn, that was enough. Pale yellow phosphorus powder hovered in his palm, swiftly expanding into a massive fireball half a meter wide.
The yellow-white flames didn't seem particularly unusual, but every wizard apprentice and priest present felt a deep, instinctual fear.
Yet the enormous fireball wasn't aimed at Aaron and his men. Instead, it soared into the air and exploded like a dazzling firework, scattering sparks and white smoke above.
Buck's face turned deathly pale. He began to wonder if White Dove's **Soul Scream** had somehow disrupted Lynn's spell.
After all, fire magic was never meant to be used this way!