Chapter 556 - 554: Did They Succeed?

The life faction magic may have its limitations, but when it comes to healing, there’s nothing that can compete with it.

The Holy Light’s Healing Skill emphasizes recovery time, focusing on gradual restoration—first stopping bleeding, then improving condition, followed by slow recovery.

Whereas life magic simply doesn’t adhere to reason, instantly restoring you entirely without leaving a trace.

After acquiring [Death Resistance] and [Near-Death Revival], although Hilia is still frail, she now possesses the resistance strength of a Close Combat Mage. She can avoid instant-kill or deadly real damage, even from the most countering Shadow Faction Mage.

Like now, when this same-level Shadow Mage bypasses defenses and deals some damage to her.

If it were in the past, Hilia’s state would be affected, but now, the healing magic from the Magic Puppet allows her to recover instantly.

Watching the Shadow Mage, who disappears after a strike, Hilia squints her eyes.

"You think I haven’t noticed you?"

The Magic Staff radiates intense magical brilliance, and then, the Holy Light-enveloped Ice Shield Skill appears around that Shadow Mage.

Though Holy Light cannot perceive the opponent, the Mage’s Hand can.

Hilia discovered this magic becomes more extreme as it reaches higher tiers.

Previously, she merely used it as a spiritual attack technique, to mimic being a spiritual mage; later, as her proficiency with the Mage’s Hand increased, she gradually refined its use—for detection, sensing target attacks.

Ultimately, when the Mage’s Hand reached extraordinary proficiency, she was able to link it with other magic, precisely controlling magic effects, facilitating flawless combination techniques.

Now, she finds the Mage’s Hand can also sense details usually hard to detect, such as the Shadow Mage’s powerful disguise.

Though she cannot see the opponent, she can vaguely sense him.

That’s enough!

As the Ice Shield Skill envelops, an Ice Bow manifests in Hilia’s hand, beginning to charge.

The Shadow Mage obviously won’t wait to be defeated.

He repeats his old trick, preparing to utilize his reality-piercing trait to exit the Ice Shield’s range.

As he approaches the Ice Shield, Hilia smiles.

"I’ve been waiting for you to do just that!"

The next moment, the Ice Shield explodes directly, producing an energy impact that leaves the Shadow Mage scrambling.

He can penetrate magic with condensed entities, but he still can’t evade the ensuing magical explosion attacks.

Next.

Hilia releases the bowstring, the Crystal Arrow charges toward the Shadow Mage like lightning, exploding upon near contact.

"Blast!"

Double explosion!

Still not over.

Hilia casts magic again, clusters of ice from the Ice Storm lean under the Mage’s Hand’s precise control, sequentially charging toward the Shadow Mage, exploding one after another, leaving no breathing room.

"Hmph, just one mage dares to threaten me?"

Hilia hums softly, casting magic without pause, continually suppressing her opponent.

The Ice Mage’s control and output are fully displayed.

This battle has garnered the attention of many nobles and high-tier mages, who look over to see Hilia incessantly... casting magic towards empty space?

The Shadow Mage remains hidden in the shadows, without revealing his form, so they don’t understand what Hilia is up to. After watching briefly without witnessing the Shadow Mage forced out, they choose to turn away, shifting focus to the battle in the sky.

A seemingly self-frenzied Tier Four Mage casting spells pales compared to the sky-battle involving five Tier Five Mages.

Nobody pays attention; not even the five above in battle care.

Under continuous bombardment, the fluctuations in the Shadow Mage’s presence weaken.

Hilia keeps a close watch.

The Dusk Sect and other cults differ, as members of this sect will flee.

"I mustn’t let this Shadow Mage escape no matter what."

Hilia resolves firmly.

Though she’s unaware of how the Shadow Mage senses she acquired the Heart of the Magic Puppet of the death faction, no matter what, she can’t let the opponent leave unscathed.

However~ she’s just a traditional mage.

Under relentless bombardment, the Shadow Mage, sensing a life-threatening crisis, decisively erupts, casting some magic to instantly exit the battlefield, fleeing afar.

Hilia sees this, locking her charging Ice Crystal Missile on the opponent, moving toward him.

But alas, relying solely on this isn’t enough to eliminate the single-mindedly escaping opponent.

Hilia becomes anxious, urgently looking to Rose in her mind, pleading, "Lord Rose, please help me, stop this guy from leaving!"

Rose chuckles lightly, "You’ll need to relinquish control of your body."

"Alright!"

Hilia agrees immediately, relinquishing control of her body.

Rose takes over, glancing at the fleeing Shadow Mage with a smile.

In a flash, he’s already controlled Hilia’s body to disappear.

Though Hilia doesn’t know spatial magic, it doesn’t mean Rose can’t.

Predicting the target’s path through Spiritual Power, he directly employs spatial magic, teleporting near the opponent.

Hilia watches, expecting Rose to instantly eliminate the opponent, yet seeing Rose merely raise his hand, marking the opponent, and using unknown magic, she’s stunned.

"Lord Rose, what are you doing?"

Rose casually replies, "I’m marking—a special form of magic; when the mark accumulates to 30 layers, it can deal significant real damage."

"Real damage?" Hilia blinks.

"Just think of it as instantly eliminating the opponent." Rose doesn’t bother to explain.

"Oh, I see."

Though unclear why Rose does this, Hilia chooses to trust him.

...

Meanwhile, the two Tier Five cultists, fighting openly with Bois and his team, sense the fleeing Shadow Mage, exchange glances, extracting mutual understanding from each other’s eyes.

"Seems like we’ve succeeded."

"Not dead, still managed to escape, must’ve succeeded. Retreat?"

"Retreat!"

The two decisively launch fiercer attacks, then capitalize on Bois’s team’s defense to decisively leave.

Bois is infuriated, "Dawn City isn’t a place you can come to as you please and leave just as easily!"

Saying this, he directly follows in pursuit.

Flora and the bishop exchange glances, the bishop follows in pursuit, and Flora deliberates for a moment before joining the chase.

Fighting within the Dawn City confines feels restrictive; pushing the opponent back and tracking them beyond the city allows for an unconstrained battle.

With this mindset, both sides rush outside the city, disappearing like lightning on the horizon.

Inside the castle, everyone discusses animatedly, expressing their amazement.

"Those who broke in are quite formidable."

"They’re bold, but it’s uncertain whether they can evade the city lord’s capture."

"They dare to come, they should be confident, probably not easy to apprehend."

"It’s unclear who they are, though, and what prompted them to stir trouble today."

"No matter, we’ll find out when the city lord returns."

"What about the banquet..."

Lesoth speaks up: "Friends, let’s continue the banquet, my father will surely handle this."

As he speaks, he casts his gaze around, silently puzzled.

Where has Hilia gone?

Could those enemies have targeted her?

Lesoth shakes his head.

Quite a coincidence, but unlikely.