Chapter 389: Purification [2]

A massive wave of golden light erupted from the magic circle, forming a gigantic wall of radiance around the World Tree.

The luminous barrier rose steadily from the base of the colossal trunk, expanding upward as it enveloped the enormous tree. Golden light illuminated the burning branches, climbing higher and higher toward the crimson sky.

Watching that Lyria felt a flicker of hope.

’It’s working...!’

CRUSH!

SPLATTER!

Red blood splattered across the magic circle.

The golden wall of light continued rising, but its ascent suddenly halted. The radiant barrier flickered.

Then, to Lyria’s horror, it began descending, slowly dissolving into golden particles until nothing remained.

"LYRIA!!!"

She heard Damien, Brandon, and Caelthas shout her name simultaneously. In the next instant, all three vanished from their positions, rushing toward the center of the magic circle.

But they were already too late. Lyria’s vision blurred as she felt something cold piercing through her abdomen.

Her body hung suspended in midair, impaled by a blood-red sword that had pierced straight through her stomach. Blood trickled from the wound, staining her clothes crimson.

A hand gripped the sword’s hilt. With tremendous difficulty, Lyria raised her head to look at her attacker. Pain shot from her stomach region.

He had crimson-red hair, unnaturally pale skin, and a pair of blood-red eyes that gleamed with amusement.

"Cough!"

Blood spilled from her mouth as she struggled to breathe. Her vision swam, but she forced herself to focus on the man before her.

He was a Blood Elf.

Yet something about him felt profoundly abnormal. The pressure radiating from his body was so overwhelming that her instincts screamed at her to flee.

’Who... is he?’

"You actually managed to react to my attack?" the man remarked, examining her with newfound interest. "Remarkable. No wonder you’re considered a candidate for becoming a Saintess..."

His crimson eyes narrowed slightly. "Or perhaps you’ve already been chosen."

Lyria clenched her teeth.

She had sensed the danger at the last possible moment and instinctively jumped backward. That split-second reaction had saved her heart from being pierced, but the sword had still torn through her abdomen.

Even so, she hadn’t been able to escape completely. Before Lyria could even comprehend what had happened, the man suddenly disappeared.

He had simply moved so fast that her eyes couldn’t follow him.

She felt her body being carried away from its original position, but she couldn’t even tell how he had moved.

At the same time, three figures struck the spot where they had been standing.

The seven mages who had been supplying her with mana dropped to one knee as the sudden disruption shook the magic formation. Their faces twisted with strain, and they struggled to regain their balance, unable to react in time.

BOOOOM!

Lyria caught a glimpse of Brandon swinging his axe, its blade enveloped in dark blue mana.

Caelthas attacked from another direction, his twin daggers wrapped in emerald-green wind.

Damien arrived last, his sword blazing with brilliant golden light. "LET HER GO!" Damien roared, his eyes burning with murderous fury.

Caelthas’s expression turned icy as he stared at the man holding her. "Put her down, Vorthane! And where is Aelyssa?!"

Vorthane merely chuckled. "Heh. Your niece still isn’t strong enough to kill me, Caelthas."

Lyria barely had time to process his words before his hand tightened around her neck, lifting her effortlessly.

Then, with a casual motion, he pulled his blood-red sword out of her abdomen. Blood gushed from the wound like a fountain.

"Ugh...!"

Her body convulsed as another wave of agony washed over her.

The pain from forcing an enormous amount of mana to use her Purification Ability had already pushed her body to its limits. Now, with a gaping wound in her abdomen and Vorthane’s hand constricting her throat, even breathing had become a struggle.

Yet the danger wasn’t over.

An enormous amount of mana was still circulating inside her body. Her Mana Core had been forced far beyond its normal capacity, and the strain was becoming unbearable.

Crack.

A sharp sound echoed inside her. Her Mana Core had developed a fracture.

Lyria’s pupils contracted.

’No...!’

She desperately suppressed the backlash, gathering the chaotic mana around her core and compressing it against its surface. Rather than allowing the unstable energy to continue damaging it, she attempted to form a layer around the core itself.

Crack.

Her body trembled from the effort.

’Just a little longer...!’

She continued to compress her core with mana.

Vorthane’s attention remained fixed on Caelthas, who was glaring at him with undisguised hostility. The Blood Elf seemed completely unconcerned about the three powerful opponents surrounding him or the other mages and knights rushing toward them.

Crack.

Another sharp sound echoed inside Lyria’s body. But this time it was for different reason.

She could feel her Mana Core full of energy. The chaotic energy continued to to run inside her body, and if she could use it properly over her core and endure this for much longer.

She had a great chance to achieve breakthrough. And if she did nothing, she would die.

Her fingers twitched as she gathered what little control she still had over her mana.

The energy inside her body was chaotic, making it difficult to cast even a simple spell. Nevertheless, she forced it toward her hand and condensed it into a small burst of light.

She didn’t have time to prepare a proper attack. She could only act on instinct.

[Flash Burst]

A concentrated burst of brilliant light erupted from her hand.

BANG!

The sudden flash exploded directly beside Vorthane’s face.

"Dammit!"

He released Lyria and instinctively raised his hand to shield his eyes.

As she fell, Lyria caught a glimpse of a faint burn mark on the hand that had been gripping her neck. However, the injury began regenerating almost immediately, the damaged flesh gradually restoring itself.

The wound was insignificant. But she had achieved what she wanted.

She had escaped his grasp. Before she could hit the ground.

Damien’s golden aura erupted with renewed intensity.

[Solar Core]

Brilliant golden light enveloped his entire body as his ability temporarily enhanced his all attributes.

The ground beneath his feet shattered. He shot forward like a streak of sunlight, his enormous golden sword raised for a devastating strike.

Brandon and Caelthas moved alongside him, coordinating their attacks without hesitation.

"Die!"

Damien’s sword descended toward Vorthane with enough force to split the ground beneath them.

However, Lyria knew that their opponent was a too stronger than them. The gap between their ranks was immense.

Even Caelthas, who had reached the Astral Core High Stage, was far weaker than Vorthane. The difference between their strength was like the distance between heaven and earth.

The three of them had almost no chance of winning.

CLANG!