Chapter 388: Purification [1]

"Everything is ready," Caelthas announced as he surveyed the enormous magic circle engraved into the ground.

Lyria, Damien, Elowen, and Brandon approached him.

"Should we begin?" Lyria asked.

Caelthas nodded. "Yes. Please stand at the center of the magic circle and face the World Tree."

Lyria nodded and prepared to follow his instructions.

"Be careful, Lyria. Good luck! You can do it!" Damien encouraged her with a reassuring smile.

"Yes, good luck! We believe in you," Brandon added.

Elowen placed a hand over her chest and looked toward the burning World Tree.

"We have faith in you, Lyria. Please, save our Mother."

Lyria looked at the three of them, feeling warmth spread through her chest despite the anxiety building inside her.

"Thank you. I’ll succeed, no matter what."

With those words, she stepped into the enormous magic circle and made her way toward the central platform. Once she reached the middle, she stopped and turned to face the World Tree.

For a moment, her thoughts drifted toward her friends.

And then, inevitably, to Noah. He was still missing. She could only hope that Instructor Morgana had found him and that he was safe somewhere.

’Just wait until I see you again, Noah. I’m going to give you a piece of my mind! You need some scolding.’

She clenched her fists. ’Why do you always have to be so reckless? Making me so much worried.’

Lyria let out a quiet sigh.

’Once this is over, I’m going to scold you properly myself!’

She would deal with Noah later. Right now, she had something far more important to accomplish.

Lyria watched as Caelthas turned toward Damien and the others.

"Please step back to a safe distance. We’re about to begin the ritual, and I don’t want any of you getting caught in its effects."

Damien and Brandon exchanged glances but didn’t ask any questions. They trusted both Lyria and Caelthas, so they followed his instructions and moved away from the magic circle.

Once they were at a safe distance, Caelthas turned toward Oranthir.

"Everything is ready, correct? Instruct the seven selected mages to take their positions within the smaller circles."

Oranthir nodded respectfully.

"Yes, my lord."

He immediately approached the mages under his command and relayed the instructions.

One by one, the seven mages moved toward the designated positions around the enormous formation. Each stepped into a separate circle engraved with intricate runes, taking their places at the outer edges of the ritual.

Lyria watched them quietly, her heart beating faster with every passing second.

No matter how determined she was, she couldn’t deny the fear creeping into her heart. How could she not be afraid?

The ritual was unprecedented in scale, and the consequences of failure were frightening to consider. She would have to absorb an enormous amount of mana into her body and expend it through her ability before it overwhelmed her Mana Core.

One mistake could leave her severely injured—or worse.

Her fingers trembled slightly. ’I’m scared...’

She took a slow breath, trying to calm herself. ’But I have to do this.’

Her thoughts drifted to her friends, who had repeatedly faced dangers far beyond what ordinary students could handle.

And among them, Noah stood out the most.

He had returned after surviving an unknown realm, emerging stronger than before. Even when faced with terrifying enemies, he continued moving forward, risking his life without hesitation.

Lyria knew she couldn’t simply become as strong as Noah or Damien overnight. However, if she wanted to stand alongside them, she couldn’t keep retreating whenever she encountered something dangerous.

More importantly, she had always wanted to help people.

That was why she had chosen to become a priestess. That was why she had trained so hard, hoping that one day she could save those who needed her.

Now, the World Tree, the sacred mother of the elves was in danger, and countless lives depended on its survival.

If she wanted to protect them, she needed to overcome her fear. She couldn’t afford to hesitate. ’There’s no other choice.’

Lyria slowly closed her eyes and took another deep breath. She inhaled, held it for a moment, and then exhaled, allowing her racing heartbeat to settle.

When she opened her eyes again, the fear hadn’t completely disappeared, but her gaze had grown firm.

She could feel Caelthas observing her for a moment before speaking. "Lyria, we’re about to begin. Are you ready?"

She looked directly at him and nodded. "Yes, I’m ready."

Caelthas gave a solemn nod. "Very well. Begin!"

The seven mages immediately began chanting in the ancient High Elven language. Their voices echoed across the protected area, resonating with the enormous magic circle beneath their feet.

A soft, emerald-green glow emerged from their bodies as they released their mana.

The energy flowed downward, seeping into the intricate runes carved into the ground. One by one, the lines of the magic circle began to illuminate, spreading outward from the seven smaller formations.

Within moments, the entire ritual circle shone with a brilliant emerald radiance.

The light reflected across the faces of the gathered elves, casting an otherworldly glow over the surroundings.

Then, the mana began to converge.

Streams of emerald light flowed through the interconnected runes, traveling from the seven mages toward the central platform where Lyria stood.

As the energy reached her, Lyria extended both hands toward the World Tree and closed her eyes.

A gentle golden radiance enveloped her body.

At first, she felt only a faint warmth against her skin. Then, the mana began seeping into her body, flowing through her veins and gathering within her Mana Core.

Her eyes widened slightly. The sheer volume of energy was far beyond anything she had ever experienced.

Yet, rather than resisting it, she immediately activated her ability.

[Purification]

She used it to it’s limit, Lyria’s eyes snapped open, blazing with brilliant golden light.

A surge of power erupted from her body.

At the same instant, a thin golden line began forming around the colossal trunk of the World Tree. It traced the enormous circumference of the trunk, carving a perfect circle of light across its surface.

The golden line continued to expand, spreading around the tree as though an invisible hand were engraving a gigantic magical seal upon it.

Then came the mana.

An overwhelming torrent of energy rushed into Lyria’s body through the ritual formation. Her Mana Core rapidly filled, the amount of mana surging beyond its normal capacity.

The pressure was unbearable.

"ARRRGHHH!"

Lyria screamed as the immense energy threatened to tear through her body.

Her muscles tightened, and veins bulged beneath her skin as she desperately forced the incoming mana into her Purification Ability.

She couldn’t allow the energy to accumulate inside her. Every second mattered. She had to expend it as quickly as possible.

’Keep going! I have to keep going!’

The golden line surrounding the World Tree suddenly blazed brighter.

BOOOOM!