"This is…!"
Lynn's pupils shrank abruptly, his expression changing slightly as his heart sank.
His teammates, however, were clueless, halting their steps in confusion. They thought they had accidentally triggered some kind of mechanism, causing this sudden and inexplicable change.
"It's from outside! The formation of the Nightshadow Fortress!"
At this moment, the squad leader quickly assessed the situation, his face darkening as he spoke in a heavy tone.
As his words fell, the surrounding atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive. The negative energy in the air thickened significantly.
When Lynn and his team stepped out of the potion storage, they could see eerie supernatural phenomena caused by the dense negative energy:
Ghostly figures floated along the walls, and ethereal ghostly flames flickered in the darkness an ominous harbinger of something sinister.
Even though they were all wizard apprentices and wouldn't be easily frightened by such occurrences, an undeniable sense of unease settled over them.
What exactly was happening in the outside world?
Could they successfully escape from Nightshadow Fortress?
As they advanced, they noticed that the further they went, the more overwhelming the negative energy became.
Lynn's heart tensed. Though he didn't say it aloud, everyone understood the sudden surge of negative energy was undoubtedly emanating from the heart of the battlefield.
"If we retrace our steps, we'll be heading straight toward the main battlefield. The negative energy will only intensify, and we'll likely be caught in the conflict."
The squad leader calmly analyzed the situation, his voice firm.
"No, we must take another route! We can't go back the way we came!"
He made a decisive call and led the group deeper into Nightshadow Fortress, away from the main battlefield.
Both paths were fraught with danger, but venturing into the depths of the fortress seemed like the safer option.
After all, the fortress's most powerful combatants had already rushed toward the primary battlefield, making this area relatively less perilous.
Still, that didn't mean it was easy to traverse.
As they moved deeper into the fortress, they encountered increasingly complex and powerful traps and golems. The team expended a great deal of effort to escape through a crumbling castle corridor.
Lynn, bringing up the rear, struggled through the treacherous path. Finally, he emerged from the passage, taking a deep breath only for his gaze to freeze at the sight before him.
The sky above Nightshadow Fortress had darkened further. What had once been twilight had thickened into an impenetrable gloom.
Black clouds blotted out the stars and moon, leaving the world in near-total darkness. The air itself felt heavy and oppressive, the suffocating silence making it seem as though the entire world was being swallowed by this eerie negative energy.
They were still at the fortress's flank, where the negative energy was relatively weaker, so its effects were not yet severe.
But in the distance, the main battlefield was a completely different story.
The front of Nightshadow Fortress was entirely shrouded in dense negative energy, trapping the Furnace Army within.
On the ground, the freshly fallen bodies of apprentices were strewn about. Under the intense influence of the negative energy, their spirits seemed to awaken once more, transforming into ghostly figures drifting ominously through the battlefield.
Meanwhile, the confrontation between the battlefield's top combatants had also undergone a drastic shift.
The thick mass of negative energy loomed overhead, casting a suffocating pressure over the battlefield.
And within this swirling vortex of energy, a rift appeared. Through that rift, Lynn caught sight of an astonishing scene the Black Dragon Witch was locked in fierce combat with two rank-three grand wizards from Nightshadow Fortress.
Previously, the Black Dragon Witch had been holding her own against two opponents, her overwhelming power keeping them at bay.
However, as the battle raged on, Lynn was stunned to discover a third rank-three grand wizard had joined the fray.
Now, three rank-three grand wizards had surrounded the Black Dragon Witch, the dense negative energy severely restricting her movements. It was as if an invisible cage had formed around her, trapping her within.
The suffocating pressure forced the Black Dragon Witch into a desperate struggle.
From Lynn's perspective, the Furnace Army's situation was rapidly deteriorating.
"What happened?!"
Several members of the squad whispered among themselves, exchanging bewildered glances.
Just moments ago, when they entered the potion storage, the Furnace Army had been in a favorable position.
Now, upon emerging, they found the battlefield completely overturned, with the Furnace forces falling into dire straits.
But what puzzled them most was who was this newly arrived rank-three grand wizard.
Did Nightshadow Fortress and the Bitter Heart Sect still have a hidden trump card?
Just then, a sudden and agonizing cry shattered the battlefield.
Lynn's eyes widened as he saw the newly arrived rank-three grand wizard seize an opening, tearing a massive wound across the elegant body of the Black Dragon.
Aestry reacted swiftly, her delicate hand waving as a crystal-clear potion materialized in her palm. Without hesitation, she downed the potion.
Instantly, her aura surged dramatically, her power spiking as she forced the three rank-three grand wizards back several steps.
Just as everyone thought she was about to turn the tables, a message suddenly transmitted into the apprentice identification tokens of every Furnace Army member.
"Breakthrough and deliver this information back to the Furnace!"
At that moment, the identification tokens at each apprentice's waist emitted a clear directive Lynn and his squad included.
Previously, all apprentices were bound by contract, and forbidden from leaving the battlefield on their own.
But now, it seemed the Furnace had made a decisive call, granting them permission to retreat and convey the critical intel.
Above the battlefield, the Lionheart Knight coldly watched Aestry, who had just consumed the magic potion.
Her face flushed unnaturally due to the potion's effects, like a freshly plucked fruit tempting, yet fragile.
"Quite the desperate moves," he sneered. "But do you think those down below can still escape?"
Aestry's heart sank.
This mysterious man had planned. The potions he carried were specifically designed to suppress both her and the Black Dragon.
His words carried an ominous implication could it be…
Her expression hardened as a grim realization set in: the situation had spiraled completely out of her control.
Clenching her teeth, Aestry abandoned all hesitation, steeling herself for an all-out effort.
In the next moment, she began chanting an incantation, her lips moving swiftly. Below her, the Black Dragon let out a deafening roar, echoing her determination.
Together, they transformed into a streaking meteor, hurtling across the sky in an attempt to break free from the Nightshadow Fortress's clutches.
Yet, under the distortion of the negative energy formation, their speed was hindered, and their very bodies suffered from its corrosive effects.
Despite enduring immense damage from the formation, they pushed forward with all their might, finally breaking through layers of obstruction, and heading straight toward the Emerald Forest.
The Lionheart Knight, Nightshadow Lord, and Bitter Heart Sect Master gave chase at full force. However, even under the corrosive influence of the negative energy, Aestry and the Black Dragon maintained their overwhelming speed.
As they vanished into the depths of the Emerald Forest, their presence completely disappeared.
Nightshadow Lord and Bitter Heart Sect Master hesitated, their lips parting as if to speak.
"They won't escape," the Lionheart Knight murmured, a low chuckle escaping him. His gaze remained calm, unbothered by their retreat.
He scoffed inwardly.
"Heading there? How foolish. They're walking straight into a trap."
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