The particle stream surged through the forest, flattening the rugged terrain and felling trees. The scattered energy particles formed a hot, fierce gust, rising into the sky and causing a massive commotion.
Jerome and the pretty witch stared in awe at the scene before them, their faces etched with shock and disbelief.
"I'm starting to believe Laura's suspicions now."
The pretty witch muttered, "Faor's death might really have something to do with this... what was his name again?"
She turned to Jerome.
He took a deep breath and slowly replied, "Ronan. His name is Ronan."
"Ronan."
The pretty witch repeated the name, as if to imprint it in her memory.
Suddenly, she seemed to recall something, reacting sharply, "What about Laura?"
"Laura isn't so easy to bring down."
Jerome's eyes were glued to the battle's center, a slight shock creeping into his expression, quickly replaced by a grave demeanor.
"The Headmistress actually gave her that... I should have seen this coming. This complicates things."
"Panting—panting—"
Ronan stood slightly hunched on the grass, breathing heavily, pushing down his injuries and recovering his strength.
He sensed Jerome and the witch approaching but didn't glance at them.
His focus remained on Laura's position.
The battle wasn't over yet.
Ronan felt his full-force, Breaking Force sword had pierced Laura, but something stopped it.
Laura wasn't dead, but...
"At this range, after taking a direct hit from [Energy Missile—Particle Stream], she should be seriously injured, if not dead."
The young black-robed wizard from the Crimson Tower had died that way, leaving no trace.
Even if Laura was stronger, she was still a first-level wizard; how strong could she be?
Ronan thought, coughing out blood mixed with bits of his organs.
He was gravely injured, like a porcelain vase cracked upon impact, yet amidst the pain, a strange exhilaration arose.
"Ascetic Body Training... Master-level..."
Ronan contemplated, feeling he had grasped something.
Before he could delve deeper, a massive energy wave erupted before him.
The terrifying energy storm swept the battlefield, erasing all spell traces, whipping up a fierce wind that seemed to press everything around into submission.
His tattered robe flapped violently, clinging to his body.
Under the turbulent airflow, Ronan struggled to keep his eyes open, sensing unprecedented power emanating from Laura's position.
"How is this possible?!"
Seeing Laura through the dust, even Ronan's will wavered momentarily.
He stared ahead, seeing a woman radiating brilliant amber light and exuding a terrifying aura.
—
Laura.
Enveloped in golden light.
Her facial runes, except for her hair and eyes, flowed with gold.
The gold spread to the vines behind her.
These spell-induced vines grew thicker, exuding a dazzling golden sheen, resembling magical metal.
A golden olive leaf symbol appeared on Laura's forehead, seemingly the source of her power.
Ronan saw his broken sword in Laura's chest shatter like paper under the golden light, falling away, leaving her skin unmarked.
"It's not just about Faor anymore."
"I'll plant you in the dirtiest garden, let you feel your flesh and soul slowly drained by the roots!"
Laura's voice, already sharp, became more twisted under the high-energy pressure, waves of killing intent and mental force surging from her.
"Stop her!"
Jerome urgently shouted, huge fireballs forming around him, shooting toward Laura.
The pretty witch in the gray-blue robe acted quickly, casting incantations from her cherry-red lips.
Laura merely glanced coldly at them, her golden vines striking, effortlessly shattering Jerome's fireballs and the red fire rings they spawned.
The lava's high temperature only produced white steam on the golden vines, causing no apparent damage.
"Whoosh—"
A tearing sound like ripping cloth.
Apart from the vines countering Jerome and the witch, the remaining golden vines vanished instantly.
Their path nearly invisible, only faint afterimages discernible.
Since Laura's awakening, Ronan had been retreating, planning to escape.
But his speed was outmatched by the pursuing golden vines.
"Whoosh!"
A faint whistling reached Ronan's ears, blue eyes flashing as he barely raised his hand—
"Bang!"
His chest caved in suddenly, flinging him to the side, followed by blows to his back, abdomen, shoulder...
Ronan bounced like a ball, each change of direction marked by a burst of blood.
He struggled to maneuver, trying to evade and block, but the elusive golden vines made his efforts seem clumsy and futile.
Every attempt to move met with a brutal strike.
In such a state, even reflexes dulled, much less spellcasting.
Finally—
"Thud—"
After countless hits, Ronan crashed to the ground.
His fingers twitched slightly, unable to convey more than that he was still alive.
Golden vines swiftly slithered across the grass, entwining his neck and body, lifting him off the ground.
Ronan's head hung low, like a broken doll suspended in mid-air.
Blood dripped steadily from his battered form.
"A bug is still a bug."
Laura, flowing with gold, approached, the olive leaf on her forehead shining.
In this moment, Laura seemed unusually calm, her madness and obsession seemingly gone.
Her gaze on Ronan held no hatred, only cold killing intent and disdain.
"No matter how you struggle, your death is still pathetic."
Laura raised her hand slightly, the golden vines winding around Ronan, like serpents coiling to kill, enveloping him and slowly tightening.
"Savor the pain of approaching death."
Laura spoke calmly, glancing toward Jerome and the witch.
Jerome had ceased attacking, standing in mid-air, face tense, eyes flickering, thoughts unknown.
Beside him, the pretty witch turned her face away, unwilling to watch.
Some events seemed inevitable, even beyond their power to change.
"Pant—pant—"
Ronan hung his head, unable to open his eyes under the crusted blood.
His body felt distant, almost alien.
He barely sensed the crushing force from outside, a suffocating pain mingling with intense pressure.
He heard the sound of his bones breaking, a cold, hard sensation encasing his face, the last light slipping away.
"Am I dying?"
In the darkness, fragmented images and shadowy figures flashed through Ronan's mind.
Old Wells, Eugene, Jacob, Linus, even the rune stall owner who sold him blank rune stones.
"A life review... looks like I'm really dying."
Ronan thought silently, the images flashing faster, more chaotic.
Faor, Anglair, Laura... their faces cycled before him, fading and reappearing.
Then, these faces blurred, receding quickly.
Ronan felt himself sinking into a dark, cold dream.
Floating on icy water, helpless.
Feeling the cold engulf him, sinking uncontrollably.
Suddenly, a strong unwillingness surged within him.
"Why, after trying so hard, can't I survive?!"
"Should a bug just accept being at others' mercy?"
The fear of his first wizard duel, hiding under the covers.
The joy of engraving his first [Clean] rune.
The tension and tremor of killing for the first time with magic.
The determination during his formal wizard breakthrough.
Ronan recalled his struggles, his fight to survive and resist.
He had stumbled, crawled his way here.
Chasing dawn, glimpsing the future, yearning for more.
Every effort he made!
Why, why must he still die?
He really... didn't want to.
"Crack—"
The sound of something breaking.
In the dark, cold dream, at the water's depths, Ronan's body halted, eyes snapping open.
A sliver of blinding light burst from his body, scattering the darkness.
He heard the sound of breaking free.
Something was growing from inside him.
Everything lost returned swiftly.
"Thump thump! Thump thump!"
His heart beat powerfully, hot energy flooding his body.
The obscured light, the cold, hard vines, the blood scent, all returned.
The cracking sound grew clearer, emanating from his body.
Like a cicada shedding its skin, a moth emerging from a cocoon.
The old decay, the fear, uncertainty, anxiety, terror...
All shattered, cleansed like grime.
His character panel appeared, showing [Ascetic Body Training]'s proficiency shifting from (Expert 800/800).
In that instant, Ronan understood what was missing for the master-level breakthrough.
A heavy blow!
A force to shatter his decayed, burdensome shell!
Only by breaking this shell could the vitality within him be released, granting him...
Rebirth!
"Crack—"
"Hmm?!"
In the quiet forest, a sudden sound made Laura turn sharply, eyes fixed on the cocoon wrapped in golden vines.
Laura frowned, thinking she imagined it.
"Crack—"
Another crack came from the cocoon, Laura's eyes filled with suspicion.
"Crack crack—"
The sound grew frequent and clear.
The golden vine cocoon swelled, something inside threatening to break free.
"This can't be?!"
Laura's expression changed, shock and disbelief in her eyes.
She sensed the bug's faint life ebbing within her vines, disappearing.
Yet now, a vitality, a hundredfold stronger, making her shiver, grew within.
"Damn!"
Laura gritted her teeth, pushing her mental energy, the olive leaf on her forehead shining blindingly.
But even that couldn't stop the escalating cracks.
The vines showed spreading cracks, emitting breaking sounds.
Finally—
"Boom!"
With a loud explosion, the golden vine cocoon shattered, pieces flying, a tidal wave of energy spreading, causing a gust that rustled everything.
Laura stood still, eyes fixed on the energy's center.
In the sky, Jerome and the pretty witch were also drawn, staring in astonishment.
In their gaze, a figure emerged from the dust.
A young, handsome man.
His features smooth and pale, without a wrinkle.
His tall, muscular frame, each muscle and line perfect, exuding primal allure.
Eyes closed, his white hair fell like crystal, moving without wind.
He appeared haloed, edges shimmering with white flames, light bending and warping.
Suddenly, the man's eyes opened.
A dazzling blue light shone like stars.
His face radiated joy, like a newborn, as he smiled at Laura, softly saying, "Laura, ready to receive... a blow from an insect?"
At this moment, Ronan's character panel updated.
[Ascetic Body Training]'s proficiency now read (Master 1/1600).
Additionally, in the [Affinity] section, a new line appeared beneath the familiar "Non-attribute Affinity"—
[Immaculate Body (Active)]!
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