Chapter 568 ·Prayer Summoning

As ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Janna swiftly recited the prayer directed toward Ocean Envoy Anna-Russell, the low-grade Water Elemental Magic Stone in her hand began to ripple like gentle waves.

Immediately ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍afterward, the array condensed, and visions took shape. Within the once crimson expanse of the 【Fire Elemental Plane】, a massive vortex suddenly formed midair out of nothingness. As Janna continuously infused it with magic power, the vortex kept expanding in size.

“Roar—!”

A ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍primal sense of danger from deep within the soul jolted the 【Flame General】 awake, breaking free from the temporary illusion cast by Radiant Dream Butterfly.

At ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍once, a thunderous roar filled with unending rage erupted from the 【Flame General】’s mouth. The surge of fire-elemental magic that followed blasted Radiant Dream Butterfly and Thundercloud out of their hiding spots, sending them sprawling across the ground.

Even ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍with its low intelligence, the 【Flame General】 instantly realized that it was under attack.

Without hesitation, driven by its instinctive sense of threat, the 【Flame General】 bellowed again—its furious roars resonating as it unleashed its innate magic. In that instant, every fire-elemental creature under its command was summoned to its side.

In moments, the once spacious area around the Magma Lake became crowded with dense ranks of blazing fire-elemental beings.

Dozens of low-rank Fireball Sprites burning with scarlet flames appeared, along with seven or eight Flame Guardians wreathed in orange-yellow fire, all summoned by the 【Flame General】.

“Burn them to ashes!”

After gathering all its underlings, the 【Flame General】 issued its command in a strange tongue—one that only elemental creatures could understand.

Fortunately, due to Janna’s long-term contract with a Flame Guardian, she could barely comprehend the 【Flame General】’s speech.

Thus, the very moment those fire-elemental creatures prepared to launch their attack on her, Janna—who had not yet completed the 【Prayer Summoning】—immediately used mental transmission to command the Hundred-Eyed Specter to continue providing her with cover.

“Splash—!”

Sensing Janna’s danger, the Hundred-Eyed Specter instantly drew upon the thick water vapor leaking from the Contract Array, rapidly forming a new mirror illusion.

In an instant, waves surged. Borrowing the Water Elemental magic that escaped from Janna’s ongoing 【Prayer Summoning】, the Hundred-Eyed Specter simulated a realistic sea-wave illusion and sent it crashing toward the low-intelligence fire-elemental creatures.

“Waa—!”

Although these fire-elemental beings had never seen real ocean waves before, their innate aversion to Water Elemental magic made their fiery arrogance waver at once. Panic spread among them as they stumbled backward, scrambling toward the safety of the Magma Lake.

“Useless trash!”

Seeing his underlings falter, the 【Flame General】 roared furiously, his booming voice filled with wrath. Then, imposing his superior will, he forcibly halted their retreat.

“Burn them!”

Unable to resist the command as Flame Guardian Enyard once had, the terrified fire-elemental creatures could only suppress their fear and charge again toward the “waves”.

However, the moment they neared the “sea waves”, the terrifying illusion vanished in an instant.

That disappearance reignited their courage—flames flaring higher—as they began howling once more.

The 【Flame General】, fooled by the mirror illusion as well, flew into a shameful rage. It unleashed scorching flames, directing them straight toward Janna—

“You’re always such a handful.”

With that ethereal voice, Ocean Envoy Anna-Russell’s graceful figure finally appeared within the Contract Array.

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Janna opened her eyes. Before her stood a breathtakingly beautiful creature, resplendent and majestic.

“Anna, I’m counting on you once again.”

To rescue Flame Guardian Enyard from the grasp of the formally ranked 【Flame General】, Janna’s only choice was to summon Ocean Envoy Anna-Russell—whose power matched that of a formal wizard—to face the enemy head-on.

Knowing that 【Prayer Summoning】 required considerable chant time, Janna had already called forth all her other contracted creatures—except for the oppositely aligned Frost Guardian and Thornflower Sprite—to buy her time.

After all, no matter how cautiously she acted, the magical phenomena triggered by 【Prayer Summoning】 were bound to alert the 【Flame General】.

Furthermore, Flame Guardian Enyard’s soul will was on the verge of collapse, leaving Janna no choice but to risk letting her weaker contracted creatures distract the enemy.

As expected, after only a brief exchange, Thundercloud and Radiant Dream Butterfly were both severely injured by the 【Flame General】, forcing Janna to send them back to their respective planes.

Fortunately, that delay was enough. Janna succeeded in completing the 【Prayer Summoning】, giving Flame Guardian Enyard a moment of respite—just enough time to endure until help arrived.

“These are the creatures that hurt you?”

Sensing the searing heat around her, and seeing the fire-elemental creatures charging toward them, Anna-Russell—who naturally disliked high-temperature environments—frowned slightly, then controlled the water currents to shield Janna.

“Yes. My contracted creature was captured by that 【Flame General】. I have to save him.”

“The 【Flame General】? The blue one?”

“That’s right.”

Through mental transmission, Anna-Russell quickly grasped Janna’s situation. She nodded and replied telepathically.

“When the battle starts, make sure you stay hidden. If those flames touch your spirit body, it’ll be hard to heal.”

“Got it. You be careful too.”

“Don’t worry. Dealing with a few fire-elemental creatures is nothing.”

With that, Janna handed over the supreme-grade Water Elemental Essence—originally meant to heal Thundercloud—to Anna-Russell, then, under the Hundred-Eyed Specter’s invisible cover, she swiftly flew upward.

Sensing through telepathy that Janna had retreated to a safe distance, Anna-Russell finally relaxed. Turning her focus back to the approaching fire-elemental horde, she readied herself for battle.

“A plane filled solely with fire-elemental beings—how interesting.”

Clutching the supreme-grade Water Elemental Essence, Anna-Russell no longer restrained her magic. In an instant, a water wave nearly twenty meters tall surged forth from the vortex beneath her feet—

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