Chapter 103: Falling For a Bait

Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Falling For a Bait

Caelia’s eyes widened.

She looked around.

The beasts that had been marching toward the mansion had changed direction.

They were all coming toward their position.

The scout slowly moved backward.

Caelia noticed.

"Wait."

Her eyes swept across the ground.

There.

A strange formation had been placed beneath the snow.

The same type of resonance crystal they had discovered before.

Except this one was much larger.

Caelia’s face went pale.

"It’s a formation."

The elder beside her looked around.

"They’re being drawn here."

"Not just the B ranks."

Caelia looked toward the approaching tide.

"The entire wave."

A terrible realization struck her.

This wasn’t a group of B rank beasts.

It was bait.

The report had been designed to make her leave the battlefield.

And now that she had arrived here, the formation was pulling the beasts toward them.

The scout was already backing away.

Caelia turned sharply.

"You."

The scout froze.

For the first time, his worried expression disappeared.

He smiled.

"You figured it out."

Caelia’s grip tightened.

"You were the spy."

The scout didn’t answer.

He simply turned and ran.

One of the elders moved to chase him.

"Leave him!"

Caelia stopped him.

"Look ahead."

Everyone turned.

The tide was getting closer.

There were too many.

The scout had never been the real problem.

He had only been the person who brought them here.

The real trap was everything waiting beyond him.

Caelia’s heart sank.

She finally understood.

The third wave.

The fourth.

Maybe even the fifth.

They could all be redirected here.

And among them would be stronger B rank beasts.

Maybe even high B rank.

"We’ve been separated."

One of the geniuses swallowed.

Caelia nodded.

"Yes."

"And the mansion..."

"Is still fighting."

Nobody spoke.

They all understood.

They had been pulled away from the defense.

The enemy had achieved exactly what they wanted.

Caelia looked back.

The route they had taken was already filling with beasts.

There was no easy way back.

"Lady Caelia..."

"I know."

She raised her weapon.

"We fight."

The others stared at her.

"Can we even survive this?"

Caelia looked at the approaching tide.

Her Aether was already low.

They had all been fighting for a long time.

Some had injuries.

Others could barely stand.

And now they were facing an entire army of beasts.

"We don’t have another choice."

She turned toward them.

"Stay together."

The first B rank beast charged.

Caelia stepped forward.

"Don’t let them surround us."

The group attacked.

The battle became brutal.

A B rank beast slammed into one of the elders.

Bang!

He was thrown several meters.

"Get up!"

Another elemental user rushed over.

"He’s injured!"

"Then cover him!"

Caelia raised her weapon.

"Ice Prison!"

Ice wrapped around two beasts.

"Finish them!"

Three attacks struck at once.

Boom!

One beast fell.

The second broke free and charged directly at Caelia.

She blocked.

Clang!

The impact forced her backward.

Her boots dug into the snow.

Her arms shook.

"So strong..."

The beast attacked again.

Caelia moved sideways.

Its claws tore through her sleeve and cut her arm.

Blood flowed.

She ignored it.

"Snow!"

The Frost Lynx attacked from behind.

Caelia followed.

"Ice Fang!"

The beast staggered.

Another elemental user landed the killing blow.

But before anyone could celebrate, two more B rank beasts rushed in.

"Again!"

They fought.

Then more appeared.

The situation became worse with every passing minute.

Their Aether was running low.

The injuries were piling up.

One elemental user had already collapsed after exhausting his Aether.

Another was fighting with one arm.

The elders were breathing heavily.

Even the geniuses were struggling.

Caelia’s attacks became slower.

Her breathing grew rough.

She could feel her Aether nearing its limit.

But she kept moving.

She couldn’t stop.

Not here.

Not when everyone had followed her.

Another beast attacked.

Caelia raised her hands.

"Frozen Wall!"

The wall appeared, but he beast smashed through it.

Caelia’s eyes widened.

Too fast.

She tried to move.

The beast’s attack struck her.

Boom!

She was thrown across the ground.

"Lady Caelia!"

Snow rushed toward her.

Caelia tried to stand.

Her vision blurred.

She pushed herself up with her sword.

"I’m fine."

She wasn’t.

Blood ran down the side of her face.

Her legs were shaking.

Snow stood in front of her, growling at the approaching beasts.

Caelia looked at the endless tide.

Then she finally understood.

This wasn’t a trap meant to kill her alone.

It was meant to force her hand.

The enemy knew she would leave.

They knew she wouldn’t ignore the B rank beasts.

And they knew exactly what would happen once she was surrounded.

Damon.

Her eyes closed for a moment.

So that was their goal.

They wanted her to call him.

They wanted Damon to leave his safe position and enter the battlefield.

They had used her responsibility to force the decision.

Caelia laughed weakly.

"They really planned everything."

Another roar shook the battlefield.

Her eyes opened.

There was no time left.

She looked at the fastest elemental user still standing.

"Go."

The young man stared at her.

"Lady Caelia?"

"Go back."

She pointed toward the mansion.

"Find Damon."

His eyes widened.

Caelia’s voice became firm.

"Tell him we’re trapped."

The young man hesitated.

"Can you hold them?"

Caelia looked at the endless beasts.

Then she looked at Snow.

She smiled.

"We have to."

She turned back toward the battlefield.

The next B rank beast charged.

Caelia raised her weapon with the little strength she had left.

"Go!"

The elemental user gritted his teeth.

Then he turned and ran.

Caelia watched him disappear.

She knew what the enemy wanted.

They had played their trap perfectly.

And now she was betting everything on Damon.

She was betting on the Damon she had seen fight.

The Damon who had defeated beasts far beyond what people expected.

The Damon who had continued growing while everyone else was struggling.

She tightened her grip.

"Please..."

Another beast rushed toward her.

Caelia raised her weapon.

"Be ready."

Then the battlefield swallowed her again.