"Musho, is your Delman family really going to remain indifferent? I recall you have close ties with the Wright family. Can you truly bear to watch them be completely annihilated?"
Amid the dense fog, a bald-headed Spellcaster in a black robe spoke sharply, his voice carrying a mocking edge.
Musho and other Tier 3 Spellcasters from the Delman family were also present, observing the situation. The Wright family's survival was crucial, as it would inevitably impact the future power balance within Floating City. Furthermore, Ossum's aggressive approach had left them curious about the extent of Ossum's strength.
Musho glanced at the bald Spellcaster before turning his gaze toward the Wright family's estate. A mix of emotions flickered in his eyes before he responded gravely, "The Wright family made a mistake by trying to keep Sean. Keeping him does more harm than good. Don't you all understand what kind of entity Ossum is?"
Musho swept his cold gaze around the gathered Spellcasters. Many lowered their heads, sinking into contemplation.
After a long silence, the bald-headed Spellcaster raised his head, letting out a piercing laugh. "Ha! Who here doesn't know what Ossum is? It's a massive force composed of lunatics. But these lunatics are genuine prodigies. Every Spellcaster who joins Ossum dreams of destroying the faction they once belonged to."
This was one of Ossum's bizarre yet well-known rules. Almost every Spellcaster in Ossum exhibited peculiar behaviors, extreme ideologies, and a twisted obligation to destroy their original organizations upon attaining sufficient power.
Because of these lunatics and their peculiar rules, Ossum faced resistance from nearly all factions—whether Spellcaster organizations or family clans. No one wanted their prodigies to betray them, join Ossum, and eventually return as enemies to annihilate their former allies.
The Wright family's desire to keep Sean stemmed from their reluctance to lose such a talented Spellcaster. However, this had only invited disaster. Enticed by Ossum, Sean expressed his wish to join them, leading to today's confrontation. Ossum had dispatched Viss to retrieve him.
---
"Die! Die! Die!"
Viss's hoarse voice echoed as he descended into madness. The wind around him grew even fiercer, churning with terrifying power as it surged toward Moray, the Wright family's strongest Spellcaster.
Viss had long been seething with frustration. Despite his years in Ossum, he had been unable to advance to Tier 4. In Ossum, this lack of progress relegated him to a position of insignificance.
Everything worsened when Kress, a prodigy from the Arcane Domain, joined Ossum. Viss's status plummeted further, and he was assigned menial tasks with little challenge or reward.
"If it weren't for Kress, my situation wouldn't be this miserable! He ruined everything for me! I'll kill them all and make Ossum's leaders see—I'm still a genius!"
Viss's twisted face reflected the hatred and envy festering within him. His violent emotions fueled the terrifying Pandora's Magic he had mastered—a wind-based power Ossum had once used to entice him into joining. Though he had successfully wielded Pandora's Magic, he had been stuck at Tier 3 for years, unable to break through.
His power now roared forth, shredding everything in its path like a devil's touch.
---
"Wright!"
Musho's eyes settled on a tall, broad-shouldered Spellcaster among the Wright family members. This was Wright himself, the head of the Wright family and one of Musho's closest friends.
But Wright was doomed. Musho dared not intervene. Any action against Viss could provoke Ossum's wrath, dragging the Delman family into destruction.
Even without Ossum looming in the background, Viss alone was beyond what the Delman family could handle. His Pandora's Magic filled Musho with despair—it was a power far beyond ordinary Tier 3 Spellcasters.
"Endure. I must endure," Musho murmured, his fists clenched tightly. He watched as the ferocious wind closed in on Wright. Once Wright was caught in the maelstrom, there would be no saving him.
The mood among the other Spellcaster families was equally grim. As they witnessed the impending doom of the Wright family, a sense of melancholy swept over them. They couldn't shake the thought: if it wasn't the Wright family today, it might be their family next.
"Ha! Die, all of you!"
Viss's laughter grew maniacal as his Pandora's Magic surged wildly. His eyes gleamed with a red light, his expression savage and terrifying.
---
"Hmm, Ossum's reach extends too far," a cold voice suddenly rang out.
Simultaneously, snowflakes began to fall, and an icy chill filled the air.
*Crack, crack.*
Frost rapidly spread across the ground, encasing everything in a thin layer of ice. Even the wild winds above seemed to slow, their movements hindered by the freezing cold.
"A Tier 4 spell?"
Viss frowned but quickly sneered. "Hmph, who dares oppose Ossum? You're courting death!"
As he spoke, a faint green light emanated from his body. The frozen winds, seemingly stilled by the cold, suddenly roared back to life, shattering the ice into fragments.
*Crack, crack.*
The ice splintered, and a figure staggered out of the mist. Spellcasters observing from afar recognized the individual immediately.
"It's Busen, a Spellcaster from the Silver Tower! The Silver Tower has finally intervened—they won't tolerate Ossum causing this much havoc in Floating City."
"Busen must save the Wright family! If Ossum is allowed to act so recklessly, who will dare come to Floating City in the future?"
The murmurs grew louder as hope flickered among the crowd.
The Silver Tower was Floating City's strongest force. Though it rarely involved itself in conflicts, its presence could not be ignored. With Busen, a powerful Tier 4 Spellcaster, stepping in, perhaps the Wright family could be saved.
But Viss sneered. "The Silver Tower? Hah! Do you think a mere Tier 4 Spellcaster can represent the Silver Archmage? You're nothing! Die!"
His Pandora's Magic surged again, targeting Busen with unrelenting ferocity.
Busen's expression hardened as he realized Viss's power could truly threaten him. Retreating swiftly, he vanished into the fog, unwilling to risk his life against such madness.
Despair settled over the Wright family. Even the Silver Tower had chosen not to stand against Ossum. Who could possibly stop the rampaging Viss?