Chapter 569 ·Tidal Summoning Magic

“Splash—!”

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍surging sea waves rose like towering walls, roaring toward the direction of the fire elemental creatures.

Originally, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Anna had thought that those fire elemental beings would retreat when faced with water-element attacks that directly countered their nature. Yet, to her astonishment, they charged forward as though injected with pure adrenaline, “fearless and unyielding,” rushing straight into the waves without hesitation.

“These ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍elemental creatures may be dull-witted, but they’re certainly brave.”

Seeing ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍such “courage” from her enemies, Anna couldn’t help but feel a flicker of admiration toward the otherwise unintelligent fire elementals.

For ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Anna—the Deep-Sea Mermaid—fighting within an environment dominated entirely by fire elements was extremely disadvantageous. Moreover, given Janna’s current soul power, she couldn’t sustain Anna’s presence in this alternate plane for too long.

Therefore, Anna’s primary goal was to rescue Janna’s contracted fire elemental creature as quickly as possible, then cover their retreat from this realm.

As for the 【Flame General】—an opponent of power comparable to her own—Anna had never intended to destroy it. Her plan was to simply “intimidate” the creature, forcing it and its fiery subordinates to back off, thus completing the rescue mission.

That was why, right from the beginning, she hadn’t hesitated to spend an enormous amount of mana to cast a large-scale spell, hoping to “scare off” the enemy.

However, what puzzled Anna was that even the lowest-ranked Fireball Sprites, led by the 【Flame General】, showed no fear when faced with her 【Tidal Summoning Magic】. Instead, as if they had collectively “lost their minds,” they charged even faster toward the waves—utterly irrational.

“Szzzz—!”

As water and fire finally collided, steam burst forth in an explosive hiss. The massive waves boiled, releasing clouds of vapor in every direction.

Those fire elemental creatures at the forefront didn’t even have time to scream before they were completely engulfed and annihilated by the tide—

not even a spark remained.

“Waaah—!”

Watching more and more of their kind swallowed by the waves, the surviving fire elementals finally realized that the scene before them wasn’t a mere illusion. Screaming in panic, they began to scatter in all directions.

Even the mighty 【Flame General】, who also realized that the waves were real, felt a brief flicker of fear in its heart.

But it quickly recovered, gathering power at the last possible moment as the waves closed in, preparing to cast a fire spell in an attempt to break through.

“Ding-dong—”

Just as the 【Flame General】 was about to counterattack, a clear note of harp music suddenly rang out from the air above, without any warning.

Like a spring of cool water pouring into the scorching sun, the sound instantly calmed the terrified and despairing fire elementals. One after another, they stopped fleeing and froze in place.

Even the 【Flame General】, who had been charging up its magic, fell into a momentary trance, forgetting to cast its spell.

“Splash—!”

Under Anna’s control, the massive wave descended like a sky-darkening curtain, crashing violently onto the motionless fire elementals.

Steam hissed and rolled. Amidst the desperate roars of the fire beings, the 【Tidal Summoning Magic】—which Anna had originally used only to frighten them—ended up producing unexpectedly overwhelming results.

“I didn’t expect that she actually mastered the 【Authority of Emotion】.”

The reason Anna could so effortlessly wipe out the fire elementals with a single spell wasn’t just because of their initial “mindless” charge. Janna, using the 【Strings of Flotenath-Moonlight】, had played her harp to invoke the 【Authority of Emotion】, soothing the terror of the fire creatures and pacifying them to the point that they forgot to flee.

Taking advantage of that moment, Anna directed the waves to engulf all those “stunned” fire elementals, accomplishing the incredible feat of defeating many with one.

“Now’s the time to rescue Janna’s contracted creature—it’s still trapped in the center of the Magma Lake—”

“Szzzz—”

Just as Anna was preparing to inspect the Magma Lake, a smaller blue flame suddenly ignited from the ground. The fire gathered quickly, and before long, the heavily wounded 【Flame General】—previously struck down by the 【Tidal Summoning Magic】—reformed once again.

“As expected, it’s not dead.”

Watching the reborn 【Flame General】, Anna didn’t rush to act. Instead, she calmly observed.

Given her current mana consumption, she wasn’t confident she could completely destroy the creature. Besides, even if she could, Janna’s soul power wouldn’t allow them to waste time fighting a prolonged battle.

“Roooar—!”

Sure enough, as soon as the 【Flame General】 reformed, it didn’t try to take revenge. After letting out a furious roar at Anna, it immediately turned to flee.

“At least it’s not that stupid—it knows when to run.”

Watching the once “fearless” creature now desperately trying to escape, Anna still couldn’t understand why these fire elementals had been so recklessly brave when facing the 【Tidal Summoning Magic】 at the start.

Could it be that these fire beings had simply never seen an ocean wave within this 【Flame Plane】—and thus rushed at it out of sheer ignorance?

“Anna! Stop it!”

Before Anna could ponder further, Janna’s urgent voice rang in her ears.

“Splash—!”

Without any hesitation or doubt, several walls of water instantly rose in the 【Flame General】’s escape path, blocking its retreat.

“Ding-dong—!”

To prevent the 【Flame General】 from retaliating, Janna emerged from her hiding spot, quickly plucking the 【Strings of Flotenath-Moonlight】 to try and calm its increasingly unstable emotions.

“There’s no time left!”

Seeing that her harp’s melody had no effect this time, Janna frowned. Fortunately, with Anna beside her, the heavily wounded 【Flame General】 could no longer stir up much trouble.

“Enyard, whether you can devour it successfully this time depends entirely on you.”

At the very moment the 【Flame General】 was gravely injured, the bindings on the Flame Guardian—Enyard—vanished. Combined with the healing from Janna’s Soul Crystal, the Flame Guardian’s wounds, which were not severe to begin with, began to rapidly recover.

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