"These aren't just rebels!"
Weilin glanced at the numerous black-robed wizards, his expression growing increasingly grim.
"Haha… Of course!" At this point, Lombadon no longer needed to hold anything back.
"The
A flush of color crept across Lombadon's face.
"You madman!!!" Weilin roared, charging toward Lombadon.
"Life Siphon!"
Lombadon called out softly, and a massive phantom spider materialized behind him.
Compared to their previous encounters, the phantom was not only larger but also radiated a terrifying aura. From the spider's compound eyes shone an almost human-like light, as though it had developed its own intelligence and become a living creature.
"Alu!" Weilin let out a sharp cry. A golden phantom burst out from the gaps in the spectator stands, landing on the ground and swelling in size with the wind—in the blink of an eye, it had grown to the height of a two-story building.
It was an enormous golden Cave Cold Spider, its markings radiating an air of noble splendor. It roared ceaselessly at the phantom behind Lombadon, as if its dignity had been offended.
"Cave Cold Spider Emperor! So you really are the thief who stole the sacred relic!"
The cold light in Lombadon's eyes intensified as several streams of grayish-green gas continuously rose from his body.
"Ah!" "Ah!"
Two short, shrill screams rang out—two official wizards who had been unlucky enough to be caught in the crossfire near the battlefield. The moment they came into contact with Lombadon's grayish-green gas, their bodies withered instantly, dying miserably as desiccated corpses.
"Draining life energy that was never yours to begin with—sooner or later, you'll suffer the backlash!"
Weilin's expression was somber as he mounted the Cave Cold Spider Emperor, looking like a valiant and invincible knight.
"How could you possibly understand the brilliance of Life Siphon?" In response to Weilin's accusation, Lombadon merely answered coldly. At the same time, the massive phantom spider lunged forward, its eerie currents pulling at the life energy inside Weilin's body like a black hole—powerful and ravenous.
Weilin's expression grew solemn. He slapped the Cave Cold Spider Emperor beneath him and engaged Lombadon in battle.
The clash between two Second-rank Wizards sent surging energy particles rampaging through the air, even sending several unlucky bystanders flying backward with severe injuries.
Within the grayish-green vortex, a knight riding a colossal golden spider, his body blazing with red light, charged ferociously toward the vortex's center—like an ancient prince slaying a dragon.
The battle shifted across the arena repeatedly, destroying several platforms beyond recognition.
With the nine judges trapped, Second-rank Wizards represented the pinnacle of power in the competition grounds.
And the outcome of Weilin and Lombadon's battle could determine the lives of every wizard in the entire plaza!
Therefore, even amid fierce clashes with the rebels and Dark Elves, many wizards diverted their spiritual attention to observe the progress of the great battle.
What drew even more of their attention, however, were the nine ice sculptures on the elevated platform!
These wizards all understood clearly that their chances of survival today depended partly on Weilin, but the greater portion hinged on whether these Second-rank Wizards could break free from their restrictions.
The combined power of nine Second-rank Wizards could crush even the current Lombadon to powder.
"Rise! Awaken, my lords!"
At that moment, a flash of light appeared in some corner, and a gray-haired wizard emerged.
He murmured a spell, and a massive blazing fireball instantly struck the nine statues, engulfing the gold-and-silver award platform in a sea of flames.
Then, in despair, the wizard watched as the raging fire was quickly smothered under a layer of white frost. Dense frosty mist swirled around, freezing the entire award platform into a winter landscape.
And not a single edge of the nine ice sculptures had melted even slightly in the inferno.
"Futile effort. This is Abyssal Cold—even Second-rank spells can resist it for quite some time." Lombadon sneered as he watched the scene.
Before he could even issue a command, several Dark Elf covert guards in black robes rushed forward, engaging the gray-robed wizard in combat. Before long, they drove a sharp dagger into his chest.
Seeing this, the wizards who had previously harbored hopes of rescue fell silent, abandoning their plans to save the judges.
Most of them simply wanted to break free from their opponents and escape this place.
In an instant, the fighting in the arena grew even more brutal and intense.
And outside the competition grounds, everything was far from settled.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
From the distant horizon, a dark line suddenly appeared. It drew closer and closer, the two ends contracting until it seemed on the verge of encircling the entire competition grounds.
Once the dark figures drew near, it became apparent that they were elite Cave Cold Spider Knights, accompanied by a large number of Dark Elf wizards. Among them were even several clan matriarchs and
"Surround them! Don't let a single human escape!" Anya issued her command, pointing at the enormous cocoon at the center. Her gentle voice reached every knight's ears.
"For Her Majesty!" "For Her Majesty!"
The Dark Cave Cold Spider Knights roared in unison, launching their assault.
"Combined Earth Collapse—prepare! Activate!"
At that moment, a flash of earthy yellow light swept across the battlefield. Along the path of the advancing Cave Cold Spider Knights, massive depressions opened up like long trenches, and countless earthen spikes erupted from within, blocking the knights' advance.
Some knights who had charged too far ahead plunged headfirst into the trenches. Their chests, arms, legs, and even faces were pierced through by the earth spikes like skewers on a spit. Those who hadn't yet died let out agonized screams.
Three figures materialized in midair, causing Anya to furrow her brow slightly.
"The Guardians of the Eastern, Western, and Southern Regions have all arrived. And where is that old geezer, the National Guardian?"
"I'm right here, Anya—no need to worry about me!"
A flash of green light, and the elderly Guardian appeared before Anya. Though his body seemed frail and carried no discernible aura, Anya immediately adopted a wary expression.
"I didn't expect that you would actually dare to use the Dark Elf Crown as a spellcasting medium, Anya—concealing so many Dark Elf knights as they infiltrated the human Dark Extreme Domain in one stroke..." The old man greeted Anya with a mild smile.
The Dark Elf Crown was a symbol of power for the Dark Elf Empire and a tremendously powerful magical artifact.
Its function was straightforward: it could mask the energy signatures of large groups, enough to turn the tide of battle at critical moments. However, after each use, it had to wait fifty years before it could be used again. As such, it had always been a treasured heirloom artifact of the Dark Elves, not to be used lightly.
And now, the Dark Elf Crown had finally been deployed to its full potential, shielding the vast Dark Elf army as they infiltrated the Central Domain, nearly annihilating all the wizards at the competition grounds in one fell swoop.
"Except for the deceased Guardian of the Northern Region, all the current Guardians are here. What—do you intend to stop me?" A small green vortex rose in Anya's palm, radiating a mysterious light that drew everyone's gaze toward it, threatening to pull their very souls inside.
"Protecting the Dark Extreme Domain, protecting humanity—these are the oaths we Guardians swore upon taking office, and the honors we are willing to defend with our lives!"
Though the National Guardian's face and body were covered in layer upon layer of wrinkles, making him appear on the verge of death, his eyes blazed with fierce light.
In Anya's perception, though this Guardian's remaining life force was as thin as a candle flame about to gutter out, it radiated a brilliance and heat that even she found formidable.
And behind the Guardians, a vast army of allied wizards had appeared, facing off against the Dark Elves.
"The plan has been leaked. Who is responsible?"
Anya furrowed her brow, then relaxed it again. "Regardless, we've at least pinned down your nine Second-rank Wizards along with a great number of elite wizards and apprentices inside the competition grounds. This war—we've already won!"
"Attack!!!" Before the opposing wizards could finish their preparations, Anya immediately ordered the Dark Elf matriarchs to launch their assault.
She herself flickered and vanished eerily into thin air, reappearing directly before the National Guardian.
A porcelain-white palm, carrying terrifying devouring force, struck toward the old man's chest.
"Floating Light!" The Guardian's eyes blazed even brighter as he spoke calmly.
Countless fine motes of light surged forth in an endless stream, coalescing before him into a shield of radiance.
The moment Anya's palm made contact with the shield, a deep, muffled boom rang out. The entire ground shuddered violently, and space itself seemed to tremble.
"Old man, how much longer can your life force hold out?"
Anya's expression remained unchanged as she continued her assault.
A massive vortex solidified behind her, and any wizard caught in its pull was instantly reduced to a desiccated corpse.
"Activate the Combined Formation!"
The other three regional Guardians' faces changed dramatically, yet they seemed to have made a resolute decision. They flew into the air, and from their bodies shot countless green threads of light that connected to the National Guardian.
A tremendous surge of life energy instantly enveloped the National Guardian. When he re-emerged, he had transformed into a handsome, sunlit middle-aged man.
Were it not for the familiar spiritual aura still clinging to him, no one would have recognized him.
Meanwhile, the other three Guardians aged visibly at an accelerated pace, their bodies deteriorating before everyone's eyes.
"Good! Good! Good!"
Anya bit her lip. She could clearly see what had happened—the other three Second-rank Wizards had transferred all their life force to the National Guardian. But in doing so, all four of them would likely exhaust their life force and perish after today.