Three ethereal figures slowly walked onto the beach, stopping about thirty meters away from the team. Their forms were semi-transparent—not exactly wraiths, yet not completely solid either.
"That's the language of the Huedalos," Qianjue whispered.
Theresa repeated what she heard: "This useless servant has taken too long; he can't even hold off a group of apprentice students. Sooner or later, Lord Fasqi's affairs will be ruined by him!"
Who was the "servant"? Was it referring to the endless wraiths? But they clearly lacked any rationality!
The speaker was a male Naga on the left, whose body was a pale blue, more defined and robust compared to the ghostly white mist of the wraiths. He wielded a uniquely designed two-meter-long trident, and his voice was deep and resonant, cutting through the fog and reaching far distances. His posture indicated he was merely a guard, while the Naga lady in front of him was the real figure of importance.
Could she be the "Lord Fasqi" referred to by the male Naga?
Everyone's attention was drawn to the female Naga in the center. She had a beautiful face, her skin a light blue, glistening with moisture. The upper half of her body was bare, supported by golden cups intricately carved with floral patterns, which accentuated her figure. Most striking were her four arms and her long, flowing snake-like hair, features that, while not human, exuded a harmonious beauty.
Perhaps sensing the humans' gaze, her snake hair, which had hung down, suddenly coiled upward, revealing her amber eyes as she flicked her forked, crimson tongue, hissing continuously.
"Don't look into the snake's eyes!" Qianjue exclaimed, quickly closing his eyes. Tears streamed down his face, and his eyes felt sore and blurry.
What immense power! Even just a phantom exuded an incomprehensible force of rule.
It seemed they were truly facing a grave danger; the team members held their sore eyes, expressions serious.
"My lady Anita, your servant has arrived late!" a deep voice sounded from behind.
Charlie rubbed his eyes vigorously, enduring the sting, and turned around to see an elderly man in a mage's robe who had suddenly appeared. He was the first human to show up in the manor.
"Fabio?!" Qianjue gasped in surprise.
This was an utterly unexpected discovery!
Anita's expression remained indifferent as she said, "It appears you've encountered some trouble."
Fabio bowed slightly and replied, "It's nothing significant! They are Tony's apprentices and have some skills; they can hold on a bit longer. Rest assured, I can handle it completely!"
Anita stated solemnly, "I'm not concerned about that. I came to deliver a message from Lord Fasqi."
Fabio knelt on one knee respectfully, saying, "Please, go ahead."
"You don't have much time left!"
Fabio trembled slightly as he replied, "Understood."
"Additionally, I have a few more words for you."
"Lady Anita, please speak."
"If you allow this group to return safely, then your remaining time will be nearly nonexistent. If you fail to fulfill your promise, not only will the current benefits be revoked, but you will also face severe punishment! It will likely be a thousand times worse than the judgment from the Arcane Circle!"
Fabio's expression darkened. "I understand!"
With that, the three figures turned and slowly faded into the deep blue ocean.
"In that case, I can only take action personally!" Fabio said coldly to the six of them.
Leon shouted angrily, "Fabio, do you even know what you're doing? You're consorting with sea creatures and harming your own kind!"
Fabio opened his eyes, crimson light flashing ominously. "So what? No one can stop me from pursuing the path of power! Since I lost my strength, I have gradually lost everything. Everyone in the Arcane Circle is a butcher.
It was Lord Fasqi who gave me a new life, who provided me with the hope to return to my peak!!!"
For a person with a twisted mindset, reasoning was useless.
Qianjue asked, "Where have all the people from Fishing Fire Manor gone? Have they followed in your footsteps? Why is there not a single person in the manor?"
"They're all dead, gone to Lord Fasqi's Soul Grave."
No wonder this place had turned into a ghost town! So everyone was dead!
Qianjue's expression changed slightly. "But weren't they all your friends and disciples? How could you be so cruel!"
As he questioned, he discreetly gestured behind him, signaling the others to find a way to escape.
"They made their proper sacrifices for the master, dying with purpose!"
Just as Qianjue was about to continue questioning, Fabio sneered, "Tony's apprentice is indeed quite clever, but it's destined to be in vain."
With that, Fabio began to chant a lengthy spell.
"Run!" Qianjue shouted, and the team members scattered like birds.
Fabio suddenly opened his mouth and released a sharp, high-frequency wail that pierced the sky, silent yet triggering a ripple of light gray waves radiating from him. This tangible yet intangible attack could not be blocked by magical shields.
Wraiths lingering nearby were instantly torn apart by the shockwave, disintegrating into dust and scattering down.
The "Wail of the Banshee," a sixth-tier spell, unleashed by a male mage, was equally terrifying.
The team felt their eardrums burst with pain, the impact hitting directly at their souls. Their heads felt like they had been struck by a heavy hammer, and they collapsed to the ground.
As the wave swept past, Charlie felt a slight dizziness. The chip's defensive mechanisms activated, shutting down his consciousness center and temporarily taking over the allocation of his brain's awareness. Charlie entered a state of absolute rationality, becoming immune to the negative effects of the Wail of the Banshee.
In that moment, it seemed even his personality shifted slightly; the corners of Charlie's mouth curved into a cold smile, a mix of disdain and mockery.
Fabio clearly noticed this disdain, and a surge of anger welled up within him. "You pathetic apprentice, I will make you understand what cruelty really means!"
A red flame ignited in Fabio's hand; it was undoubtedly a fireball.
It was a universal response in crises or anger: the first instinct was often to conjure a fireball.
However, while Fabio's fireball was still coalescing, several pale blue projectiles erupted from Charlie's fingertips, striking Fabio directly.
The massive magical shockwave interrupted Fabio's spellcasting; if it weren't for his adept control over mana, he might have faced a backlash.
Fabio raged, "D*mn it, apprentice! Even with your little tricks, let's see how many skills you can wield!"
He waved his hand, instantly casting a "Magical Absorption Shield" on himself, a quick-cast skill from his ring, allowing him to start conjuring his fireball in peace.
Yet, Fabio soon realized that his moment of peace wouldn't last long.
Bang!
A fireball struck him, and Fabio's fury surged even higher.
Finally, a fireball coalesced in his hand and he threw it out in a fit of rage. "You've wasted too much of my time; let's end this game!"
The fireball flew from his hand, while Charlie, standing dozens of meters away, displayed agility unlike any ordinary mage. He had already cast a spell for enhanced agility and swiftly dodged ten meters to the side, evading the fireball's trajectory.
Avoiding the blast of the fireball, Charlie continued chanting the fireball spell, assessing the situation. Fabio's shield could still withstand several fireball attacks.
"You b*st*rd! How dare you mock me!" Fabio fumed. "I will freeze you!"
With that, an icy energy began to swirl in his hand.
Seconds later, the same story replayed itself.
Charlie's fireballs consistently struck Fabio, while even though he unleashed a large frost spell, "Blizzard," he still couldn't touch the hem of Charlie's garment.
Charlie was too fast! His agility rivaled that of a knight, but what knight could cast spells like he did? Especially at such rapid speed with silent spellcasting!
Fabio finally began to realize that this was no ordinary apprentice before him. The spells he cast were not just equipment skills; they combined movement spellcasting, rapid casting, and several advanced techniques. An apprentice capable of mastering so many advanced techniques could only be someone meticulously trained by several mages!
He must be destroyed!
With the effect of the Magical Absorption Shield about to be shattered by the fireball, Fabio knew he wouldn't have many chances left to cast securely.
Jealousy and hatred boiled within him as he roared, "Don't get too cocky! I'll show you that even old dogs still have some teeth left!"
With that, he began to chant a special spell, a dark red flame slowly gathering in his palm. At the same time, a mental link subtly anchored onto him; no matter how Charlie "struggled," he couldn't break free from this mental tether.
In an instant, cold sweat broke out on Charlie's back, and a prickling pain radiated from his exposed skin. He sensed deep down that this spell's power might be formidable, similar to the feeling he had when facing the lightning arrow from the fishman lord.
Could it be another tracking spell?!
Countless calculations and battle simulations completed in an instant, and Charlie quickly reacted. He dropped his staff and pulled out his bow and arrows.
This time, he pulled a "Piercing Arrow" from his quiver, aiming directly at
Fabio's throat. Drawing the bowstring back, he released the arrow.
Bang! The sharp sound echoed as the arrow shot forth.
At the moment the arrow was fired, Fabio let out a maniacal laugh. "Burn, shining future of the Arcane Circle! Hope of the Mage Lords! Go to hell!!"
A blazing fireball, as fiery as molten lava from hell, shot from his hand. Though it wasn't fast, it followed the trajectory of Charlie's movement…
The arrow was intercepted by a new magical shield, but something unexpected happened that caught Fabio off guard.
This magical apprentice was actually running along the perimeter of the area while being pursued by the tracking fireball. His arrows consistently found their mark, precisely aimed at Fabio's vital points. The Piercing Arrow had a particularly destructive effect on magical shields, nearly capable of penetrating a fourth-tier shield in three shots. The tremendous impact made it difficult for Fabio to cast spells with peace of mind.
What had begun as a battle of mages had unexpectedly devolved into a desperate struggle to see who would fall first.