The arrival of hundreds of undead sent a wave of dread through the six of them.
Kael's quick scan revealed that nearly all of these creatures were at least Level 6 in strength, surrounding them with no room for escape.
What made it worse—if any of them fell to these undead, the dead would rise again as part of the horde.
And that would spell disaster.
"Fall back! Retreat to the castle's high platform!" Kael's sharp gaze identified the elevated platform as the only defensible position for now.
"Move!" Without hesitation, the group swiftly withdrew to the platform's fortified walls.
"Dual-element spell: Blazing Tempest!"
Staff raised, Kael rapidly chanted two sets of incantations, weaving fire and wind into a devastating composite spell.
A roaring gale intertwined with searing flames, the two opposing elements fusing seamlessly midair. The sky filled with a chorus of howling fury as the inferno descended upon the earth.
The flames raged, amplified by the wind, expanding the spell's range dramatically. Over a dozen undead beasts were engulfed, their shrieks piercing the air as they crumbled to ash. Kael's mastery over magic had reached new heights—this dual-element spell was executed flawlessly.
"A composite spell..." Stellan's eyes narrowed, recognizing the technique. His surprise deepened. He knew full well how difficult such magic was to master, and his estimation of Kael rose yet again.
But as a prodigy of the Holy Temple, his own holy magic was nothing to scoff at. Confidence unwavering, he raised his ornate staff, silver divine runes shimmering at its tip as he intoned smoothly:
"Judgment of Light!"
A seventh-tier spell.
The darkened sky suddenly blazed—though night approached, for that brief moment, daylight returned in a blinding flash. A thunderous boom accompanied the radiance as over a dozen undead were utterly erased from existence.
No ashes remained, no remnants—unlike Kael's flames, which left behind charred traces. The holy light had annihilated them completely.
The Holy Temple's radiant magic truly was the bane of the undead.
Kael's heart tightened as he reassessed Stellan—this man was a mid-tier Level 7 mage, a force to be reckoned with.
The two Holy Temple members behind Stellan also sprang into action. Though only early-tier Level 7 mages, their strength was nothing to scoff at.
This lineup undeniably outclassed the Sacred Council's younger generation.
Kael sighed inwardly. The Sacred Council's rising talents truly can't compare to the Holy Temple's.
Amelia, Ethan, and himself represented the Council's strongest team, yet their surface-level power only slightly surpassed Stellan's trio. As for Nanka Academy and other institutions? They lagged even further.
According to Ethan, Stellan wasn't even the Holy Temple's strongest—that title belonged to someone named Magnus.
Ethan and Amelia didn't charge into the undead horde. Instead, they guarded the four mages, swiftly eliminating any creatures that got too close—venturing deep into that sea of corpses would be suicidal.
Yet even their combined strength couldn't stem the tide.
"Damn it, why did these undead suddenly go berserk...?" One of the Holy Temple members panted after casting a spell, voicing the very question plaguing Kael.
"This isn't sustainable. We'll be overwhelmed at this rate—we need to break through!"Amelia's delicate brows furrowed in urgency.
She was right. Against hundreds of undead, even their prowess would eventually crumble under the endless assault. Worse, these creatures exhibited frightening intelligence, coordinating their encirclement with chilling precision.
Kael shook his head. "We can't wait for reinforcements! We'll punch through together!" The situation had escalated beyond choices.
"Agreed. This way!" Stellan pointed toward a path.
"Breakthrough formation!" Kael nodded. The six immediately mobilized—Ethan and Amelia spearheading, the mages following close behind as they carved through the dead.
The undead swarmed like a tidal wave, their deathly miasma coalescing into a ghastly shroud.
"Kill... Kill them all!" The undead retained shreds of consciousness, but only enough to fuel their bloodlust. Crimson eyes glowing, they closed in from all sides.
"Hellfire Wall!" Kael unleashed another spell. Screams erupted as swathes of undead disintegrated into ash—yet more kept coming.
"There are too many. Amelia, you go first—I'll draw their attention!" Kael gripped Amelia's wrist, whispering urgently by her ear.
"No!" Her refusal was immediate.
"Trust me. Remember my Blink spell?" Kael smiled calmly, his gaze sweeping over the endless horde. A full-group retreat was impossible; someone had to cover the escape. And that someone would ensure her safety above all.
He calculated coldly: with his Level 7 Blink mastery and Scarlett as backup, survival was assured.
"I'll stay too. The rest of you, go." Stellan stepped forward. His two Holy Temple subordinates hesitated, but a sharp glance silenced their protests.
"Move out." Kael wasn't playing hero—he had exit strategies.
Amelia searched his eyes, then finally nodded. "I'll wait for you."
"We've got comm-crystals." He grinned.
With Kael and Stellan laying down suppression fire, Amelia and the others soon vanished into the distance. The two mages now wove devastation through the undead ranks, spells flashing in tandem.
"Voidfire Surge!" Kael's incantation sent flames geysering through skeletal ranks. Even sustained casting barely strained his reserves now.
Across the fray, Stellan's staff blazed. "Gate of Sanctity!" Holy light purged another wave.
Their eyes met through the chaos. A nod. "Now!"
Amelia's group was clear. Time to vanish.
Blink!
Both were Level 7 mages with formidable mana reserves, fully capable of sustaining such spells.
Especially Kael—after reaching Level 7, he could cast Blink multiple times consecutively.
Their figures reappeared a hundred meters away, the maximum range of the spell. Notably, Kael and Stellan had teleported in opposite directions, each wary of the other. Now wasn't the time for backstabbing.
Kael executed two more Blink casts, finally breaking free from the undead encirclement. Stellan did the same, and the two parted ways—Kael heading toward Amelia and Ethan.
Through the comm-crystal, he reassured Amelia of his safety. Relieved, she relayed her coordinates, and Kael set off immediately.
Though they'd survived the undead onslaught, Kael couldn't shake his unease. The entire castle had become a playground for the dead. What the hell is Leif planning?
His figure flickered through the terrain until—
A sudden spiritual surge distorted his vision. The world around him shifted.
Before him yawned a pitch-black cavern entrance.
"This is..." Kael blinked, then grinned. Unknowingly, I've triggered a hidden magic array. This was undoubtedly the gateway to another ruin!
"Stumbled into yet another dungeon-like entrance?" He rubbed his nose, amused by his absurd luck.
After notifying Amelia via the comm-crystal, Kael prepared to venture in alone.
The cave stretched deep and dark. His footsteps echoed as he stepped inside, prompting him to cast Illuminance.
Light flooded the cavern, revealing its contours. Kael advanced cautiously, one hand tracing the damp walls as he moved deeper into the unknown.
...