Leif's shout was laced with disbelief, his eyes wide with shock.
"What?! Impossible!" Magnus, standing nearby, also gaped as if he'd just heard something earth-shattering.
A Domain—that was a power only Arcane Magisters could grasp!
Even among Arcane Magisters, few could wield a Domain with true mastery. Possessing one meant stepping into the ranks of the continent's true elites.
Kael had unlocked a Domain?!
How?!
Ethan's face mirrored the same stunned incredulity. It felt absurd.
No one knew Kael better than him. They were close friends now, and Ethan had witnessed every step of Kael's growth. During the Magic-Martial Tournament, Kael had only barely edged him out. Even after entering the ancient ruins, Kael had still been at the mid-tier of seventh-level just days ago.
Yet in this short span, Kael had broken through repeatedly—not only mastering thunder magicand reaching the peak of seventh-level, but even comprehending a Domain!
This defied all logic!
It was too unbelievable!
Ethan had already been awed when Kael first wielded lightning. But now, he realized with stark clarity—Kael had left him far behind.
Amelia's clear, water-like eyes shimmered with joy. Her fists clenched unconsciously. Of course, she wanted Kael to grow stronger, but a competitive fire also ignited within her. A faint smile touched her lips as she murmured, "I can't let you pull too far ahead."
Kael's eyes snapped open!
That earlier repulsion of Leif? It had been his Domain at work.
"So this is it..." A grin spread across Kael's face as he whispered in realization. He had finally grasped the essence of a Domain!
The moment his eyes fully opened, an overwhelming surge of mana erupted from his body—a pressure so dense it plunged the surroundings into an icy void. Everyone present shuddered under the suffocating aura.
Around Kael, a vacuum zone abruptly formed. Mana howled into it, swirling violently like a storm given form.
"A Domain... It really is a Domain!" Leif's face paled. The man before him was nothing short of monstrous—he had actually grasped Domain power in an instant! The sheer force of it sent a sliver of dread down Leif's spine. There was no longer any doubt: Kael had mastered a Domain!
"So this so-called 'Domain' is essentially forcibly carving out a space with mana. Within it, the caster truly reigns supreme. Of course, as long as the opponent's strength doesn't surpass your own, they're utterly at your mercy!" A flash of enlightenment struck Kael.
The might of a Domain was terrifying indeed!
Arcane Magisters could manifest a Domain around themselves, while Saint-Spirit Magicians—those beyond the Arcane tier—could expand it even further. Legends spoke of mages above the Legendary tier who could create entire "pocket worlds"!
A smirk curled Kael's lips as his gaze locked onto Leif. Against him now, Kael felt not an ounce of fear!
Leif's undead legion was trapped by the Unicorn Rhinos, and Leif himself was completely pinned down by Kael. Killing him would end this crisis.
Leif's eyes narrowed, murderous intent dripping from his voice as he sneered, "Brat, don't think just because you've barely grasped a Domain that you can act all high and mighty. You're still far from mastering it. I'll eliminate you now—turn you into one of my undead generals, shackled to my will for eternity. Heh!"
Though his words were mocking, Leif didn't underestimate Kael in the slightest. In his mind, Kael had already become his greatest threat—his archenemy!
(Of course, he didn't yet know it was Kael who had rallied the Unicorn Rhinos. Otherwise, he might have outright labeled him his nemesis!)
His focus fixed on Kael, Leif moved instantly, his Domain flaring to life once more—all to seize the initiative. Leif's control over his Domain was refined, his strength rivaling that of a true Arcane Magister.
In the next moment, the very heavens seemed to warp. A terrifying magical force distorted space itself, manifesting as a ring of black light around Leif's Domain. Kael felt an overwhelming pressure lock onto him—as if a single misstep would shatter him under its weight!
This was the power of a Domain!
Kael's body bore the strain of a mountain, yet his composure never wavered. He unleashed his own Domain in retaliation!
BOOM!
The Thunder Domain erupted!
A world of lightning unfolded around him. Countless violent arcs of electricity coiled and crackled, their violet brilliance dazzling as they saturated the space with raw, untamed power.
"How can your Domain contain lightning?! Damn it—an Elemental Domain!" Leif roared, his shock palpable. Most Arcane Magisters' Domains were pure spatial constructs, devoid of elemental attributes. But rare exceptions like Leif—and now Kael—could manifest Domains infused with elemental power.
Leif's Domain, tinged with black, carried a wisp of dark energy. That alone marked him as a genius, far surpassing ordinary Domains.
Yet Kael's Domain was a storm of crackling thunder—a tempest given form!
And not just infused with lightning; it was saturated to the point of absurdity. The sheer density of power made Kael a freak among freaks. His Domain outright eclipsed Leif's!
"Kill him. If I don't eliminate this brat now, he'll become an existential threat!" Leif's murderous intent spiked. He unleashed his Domain fully, attempting to crush Kael in one decisive strike!
Kael responded with a cold laugh. Lightning detonated around him—a thunderous roar shaking the world. The very air transformed into an electrified hellscape, every inch crawling with violet current. The stench of charred flesh permeated the battlefield as nearby undead combusted into ash, their remains drawing a pained grimace from Leif.
CRACK!
The two opposing Domains collided.
A deafening metallic screech tore through the air—a sound so piercing it felt like nails dragged across steel. Bystanders clutched their ears, teeth gritted.
This was their first true Domain clash!
Leif's body convulsed. Kael's lightning was insidious, bypassing defenses he thought impregnable. Even with his Domain active, the current found gaps, lashing at him with feral precision.
Simultaneously, Leif's Domain pressed down like a collapsing sky. Kael's brow furrowed under the pressure, but his own Domain held firm.
Yet he understood the horror of this exchange. Any ordinary seventh-tier mage—even someone of Magnus's caliber—would've been crippled instantly by such force.
Magnus and the others stood frozen. Before them, the battlefield had become a canvas of clashing magics—a mesmerizing, surreal, and terrifying spectacle that etched itself into their minds.
"How did he grow this strong?! He wasn't nearly this powerful last time!" Stellan's voice wavered, his disbelief bordering on denial.
Leif took the brunt of the lightning surge. The stench of burnt flesh clung to him as his robes smoldered, their enchanted threads ruined beyond repair.
Worse yet—Kael's Domain showed no signs of weakening. It had ensnared him completely.
"This brat is monstrous! To wield a Domain with such mastery upon first awakening it—unbelievable!" For the first time, a flicker of panic flashed through Leif's eyes.
"Heaven's Thunderfall!" Violet electricity coalesced once more, each lightning bolt thick as tree trunks, their convergence making Leif's face contort in terror!
Within this onslaught of thunderous power, Leif sensed genuine mortal peril!
"I can't match him... Run! Flee as far as possible! RUN!" Survival instincts screaming, Leif turned and bolted like a whipped dog—the man who had crushed Magnus's quartet in one strike, the so-called "strongest below eighth-tier," now scrambling for his life in disgraceful retreat!
Kael stood motionless, his expression serene, yet his presence evoked involuntary awe and dread in every witness.
Leif fled madly, covering dozens of meters in seconds while spamming teleportation spells in desperate escape!
At this moment, Leif abandoned everything—his undead legion, his subordinates—caring only for self-preservation as he scrambled away.
Kael snorted. His body became lightning itself, streaking after Leif with violent pursuit.
The raging currents around him set the grasslands ablaze in his wake...
Leif wouldn't escape.