Sensing their exposed presence, the cultist of the Cult of Apocalypse, walking in the shadows, ceased their persistent close-range attacks, instead tactically casting spells together.
Dozens of ice blades, fireballs, acid, and even crossbow arrows suddenly rained down from various directions.
Each time the cultists cast their spells, their figures briefly emerged, swiftly disappearing back into the shadows, akin to what one might call mage assassins.
The assembled wizards found themselves caught off guard; they had no idea of the enemies' numbers or their positions.
They could only passively defend against the incoming elemental magic. By the time they countered with their own spells, the adversaries had often vanished and relocated to another direction. In just a fleeting moment, injuries began to appear among their ranks.
A young male wizard had just deflected an incoming [Acid Splash] with a protective spell when a crossbow bolt, seemingly from nowhere, pierced his ankle.
Intense pain forced him to stumble and fall, yet the Cult of Apocalypse cultists showed no mercy. He instantly became the target of their assault.
Fortunately, at that moment, thirty magical missiles flew from behind, precisely intercepting the incoming attacks.
The one who intervened was Lynn.
Yulande, previously attacked, roared and unleashed another wide-ranging ice storm, but it failed to hit anyone.
"Lynn, do you have a way to determine their positions?" urgently asked a witch within the group.
Shadow magic was an extremely obscure form of wizardry, difficult to master. Yet, astonishingly, every Cult of Apocalypse Cultist seemed proficient in it. However, now was clearly not the time to ponder over this fact.
What mattered most was they hadn't prepared in advance to counter these spells. Raphael was busy dealing with Odessa, the envoy of the Cult of Apocalypse Cult. Among them, Lynn was the only one who could see these cultists.
"Of course!" Lynn replied casually before swiftly casting a spell, conjuring four walls of icy barriers, trapping everyone, allies and Cult of Apocalypse cultists alike, within.
Then, Lynn pulled out a vial, tossing it into the sky amid perplexed gazes from Yulande and the others.
Though the Cult of Apocalypse cultist wizards had no idea what Lynn was up to, they understood they couldn't allow it. Instantly, several beams of magic struck the vial.
Surprisingly, instead of alarmed expressions like Yulande's group, Lynn reacted with unexpected words.
"So considerate, aren't they?"
The Cult of Apocalypse wizards quickly realized their mistake. The vial exploded in mid-air, emitting a cyan glow, as alchemical powder showered down, outlining the contours of everyone present.
"Is that Luminous Stone powder?" exclaimed Phillip, who had some knowledge of alchemy. These unique minerals existed in the darkest mines, holding considerable magical power and possessing self-illuminating properties.
Kevin, Yulande, and the others, who had been holding their anger, almost immediately launched their counterattack.
Without the aid of shadow magic, the true strength of the Cult of Apocalypse Cultists was promptly revealed. They were forced into a retreat as they were continuously attacked.
Meanwhile, Raphael, engrossed in combat with Odessa, kept a watchful eye on the battle. He wasn't entirely unaware of the cultists hidden in the shadows; he simply hadn't had a chance to intervene.
Upon witnessing Lynn's successful use of Luminous Stone powder to nullify the shadow magic, Raphael breathed a sigh of relief and silently praised Lynn's vigilance.
However, this momentary distraction cost Raphael dearly. The blood-red chains encircling the Realm of Apocalypse suddenly came to life, lashing out viciously at Raphael, akin to long whips.
An invisible magical barrier materialized around him, but it shattered in the next moment.
One of the chains pierced through Raphael's right arm, creating a hole, instantly staining his robes red. A piercing pain surged through his mind, yet he dared not pause. Gripping the chain embedded in his body, he shattered it with a burst of magic.
Odessa pointed ahead, a crimson glow shimmering.
Raphael couldn't evade it completely, but the next moment, both of them felt a sudden jolt in their hearts. Although it lasted only a moment, it was enough to cause Odessa's magic to veer off course.
Lynn, observing from a distance, ceased the resonance magic. This spell had limited impact on a grand wizard; once the opponent was wary, success the next time wouldn't come so easily. Therefore, Lynn didn't dare to recklessly expose the intricacies of this spell.
As Odessa, unexpectedly ambushed, fortified himself with several layers of protection, he glared coldly at Raphael.
Since the cultists had lost their usefulness, there was no need for him to hold back anymore!
"[Apocalypse's Judgment]" Odessa gripped the figurine tightly, shouting loudly.
The blood-red sky seemed to darken, a sense of oppression enveloping everyone.
Yulande raised his head in astonishment, and then witnessed a breathtaking sight: the suspended silver moon in the sky appeared to be drawn by some force, carrying an air of imminent destruction, hurtling downward.
A celestial body several kilometers in diameter obscured the entire sky, casting darkness down.
A wave of fear and helplessness surged through everyone.
The remaining Cult of Apocalypse Cultists below prostrated themselves, devoutly praying, seeking forgiveness from the great spirits of the elements.
Even Raphael's mind quivered; beneath the terrifying power of such a celestial collision, evasion and defense seemed futile.
Amidst the prayers and cries of despair, Lynn could no longer feign ignorance of Aurora. Speaking in a lowered voice, Lynn said, "Aren't you going to act, Lady Aurora?"
The next moment, a soft breath sounded near Lynn's ear. "Shh... My powers are limited. They need to appear at the most critical moment. Use your most potent magic. Just remember, that isn't the real moon..."
Lynn furrowed his brow. Of course, he knew that couldn't be the real moon. That thing was at least a thousand times larger than this, and the crimson space gave him a sense somewhat similar to the Magic Web.
A magical illusion? The more belief, the stronger the construction?
Lynn speculated silently, then raised his hand, pointing at the enormous celestial body plummeting from the sky.
[Spatial Ripple]
His fingers trembled rapidly, and an imperceptible ripple of magical force spread rapidly. However, unlike before, the power of "Spatial Ripple" did not weaken in the slightest; instead, it intensified rapidly, eventually becoming visible to the naked eye.
Just like a sharp curved blade slicing through butter, in the unbelieving eyes of everyone, the colossal silver moon was split apart.