Black Fire
The few Magi were hiding behind the Shield of Gaia. Together with their innate defense spell, they were safe even from the few stray fragments of rock that struck them.
“Ji Ji!” Seeing that its attack didn’t have any effect, the strange-formed black smog finally shifted its attention away from the fantasy springwater. It extended numerous tendrils around the surroundings, which was slowly creeping towards the three Magi.
“Great! I’ll lure it away! All of you are to collect the fantasy springwater while it’s distracted!”
The team leader hollered.
After that, the three Magi constantly retreated while frequently casting spells, luring the strangely-formed black smog to gradually move away from its original spot.
The other two members of the team took the chance to quickly eradicate other life forms. When they reached the edge of the fantasy springwater, they were the only beings left.
Once Blake reached the mouth of the spring, he started to chant a mysterious incantation.
*Rumble!*
The milky white springwater started to bubble as he steadily chanted in front of the spring.
*Bang!* The large quantity of fantasy springwater was being absorbed in midair by Blake, just like a whale drinking water. As the water was being absorbed, it concentrated into a milky white gemstone-like object, finally landing in Blake’s hands.
“Hurry up! I won’t be able to hold back the strange-formed black smog for much longer!”
When the leader saw that Blake and another member were collecting the springwater, he first let out a smile before turning to shock in the next instant.
After seeing that someone was collecting large amounts of the delicacy that it was going to consume, the black smog that was still pursuing the team leader let out a baby-like wail before turning back to charge towards the spring.
“Delay it to gain more time!” That team leader’s eyes were slightly red.
“Awoooo!”
A creature’s holler suddenly came from the sky while the few team members were occupied.
A chill arose in all of the Magi’s heart after hearing that sound. The strange-formed black smog also stopped its movement as it revealed its enormous yellow eyes, looking warily at the sky.
They saw an enormous Poison Wyvern. Its body was 30% larger than it should have been, with green scales covered it completely. The force behind every flap of its enormous wings was very powerful.
“This....This Poison Wyvern seems to be.....”
That team leader said in a daze.
“That’s right! That Poison Wyvern that is stronger than an official Magus is the symbol of that Magus! Leader, we’re really lucky this time!” A member of his group smiled wryly as he said that. A sliver of despair appeared on the team leader’s face.
“Hmm? A strangely-formed black smog? That’s right, I need its core.....”
An extremely youthful voice rang out from the Poison Wyvern’s back, and following that statement, a strong magic undulation descended on the entire area.
The Magi below instantly felt as though an enormous wave was crashing over them. That power was so powerful that they couldn’t resist.
The strange-formed black smog that was still dealing with three Magi immediately stopped resisting against them. The powerful aura of its body increased by half and its form shrunk. It looked more substantial and both of its yellow eyes were wide as it stared fixedly at its new opponent. Low snarls could be heard from it.
Following that person’s voice, a black hand, which burned with violent black flames, struck from the back of the Poison Wyvern towards that strange-formed black smog.
The areas that the black hand passed through briefly fluctuated.
The hand was not yet done, and the stones and grass were blown away roughly, revealing a barren land.
The black smog lay right in the middle of this area.
“Chi chi!” The smog faced the heavens and bellowed, constantly spewing out black bullets. These bombs that were formed from condensed black fog seemed to grow eyes and sailed through the air in a strange line, accurately intercepting the large hand that burned with black flames.
*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*
The black bullets exploded in front of the large hand, but it was clearly ineffective. They were burnt up by the flames, leaving not even a trace on the palm of the hand.
*Whoosh!*
The attack from the black smog was unable to slow down the fiery large hand. Under the astonished gazes of the surrounding members, the black flaming hand grabbed onto the body of the black smog.
“Waah waah!”
The raging black flames covered the body of the black smog in an instant, the smog gradually becoming fainter under the flames. It eventually burnt into white steam and completely evaporated.
The black smog’s figure became increasingly smaller, and within a few seconds, it was half its original size. It cried out painfully, its tentacles involuntarily twitching and even rolling on the ground, but this did nothing to deter the large hand.
The flames persisted and continued to burn away the strange body of the black smog.
Another ten minutes passed, and the entire black smog was completely destroyed by the black flames, leaving behind something that looked like a black pearl.
This black pearl was completely smooth, containing what seemed to be a miniature version of the black smog, constantly changing its shape.
*Thud! Thud!*
The Poison Wyvern in the air had also descended by then, a youthful male Magus jumping off its back. He approached the area where the flames had burnt, retrieving the black pearl.
“A large Poison Wyvern and black flames! There is no mistake, he must be Four Seasons Garden’s ‘Blackfire’ Leylin!”
This team leader smiled wryly. Earlier he had sensed an immense and terrifying spiritual force with a large amount dark elemental energy. It had reached the battlefield and had been observing their every move.
Under the surveillance of this spiritual force, just moving required more energy than usual; it was naturally impossible to even think about escaping or fighting back.
“Blackfire Leylin? Isn’t that the one from our academy who...”
A member nearby held his tongue, his expression revealing his shock.
As Magi of Abyssal Bone Forest Academy, they definitely knew the existence of a potioneering genius who had been involved in a conflict with the Lilytell family and had been subsequently expelled.
Though it was said that he had already advanced to be an official Magus, hearing rumours and actually seeing it for themselves was a completely different experience.
In addition, the strength that Leylin exhibited far exceeded the might that a newly-advanced Magus would normally have. Even old men like them could only sigh in longing at his power.
“It’s such a large area, but we actually managed to bump into him. What luck we have...”
This Magus team leader shook his hand and quickly stood in front of his teammates. “Go! I’ll stall for time!”
“Leader!” “Team leader!”
Several members of the team were reluctant to obey.
Blake disregarded his words and went forward, standing shoulder-to-shoulder by the team leader. “If you’re going to stay behind, then I should be the one doing so. I’m the scout in this group, and it was my fault that we did not discover the enemy...”
However, with Blake’s strength, discovering Leylin was basically impossible. Furthermore, Blake’s detection skills only applied to enemies on the ground. For those who were in the air, it was completely useless.
“Leader!” The other members seemed to be on good terms with their team leader and hesitated, with another staying behind as well.
The other two glanced at each other, erupting with wind elemental particles around them and moving over ten metres in the blink of an eye. They wildly charged forward, seemingly uncaring of their lives.
“Why does it feel like I’m the huge villain here?” Opposite them, Leylin stroked his chin and had the sudden urge to laugh.
It was quite unexpected that Magi from the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy could be so united in a life or death situation like this.
However, even the dark Magi had a few friends they were willing to risk their lives for. Had the team members not trusted each other, then their small team would have perished on its first mission and would not have lasted till this point.
“Magi from Abyssal Bone Forest Academy?”
Upon seeing their strangely familiar black robes, he turned somewhat emotional. Just a few years ago he had been a lowly acolyte who had to be extremely respectful the moment he saw robes that a Magus wore.
But now, whether these official Magi lived or died was in Leylin’s hands.
It felt quite strange to face the reversal like this.
“Do you want to stop resisting, or should I make my move?” Leylin asked indifferently.
The moment those words were uttered, the situation could no longer be changed.
“We’re going to go all out! Go!” The team leader showed his firm stance as he yelled.
*Ka-cha!* There were suddenly two more long ice blades in his hands mercilessly slashing towards Leylin!
Tentacles also formed under Blake’s feet, squirming and extending till they shaped into a large hammer.
The hammer was lifted high and ruthlessly slammed towards Leylin.
The last Magus used a few support spells on his comrades and set up a large rock shield in front of them.
“Quite a compatible combination! It’s a pity that it’s useless!”
Leylin evaluated, seeming to be making no move. From his figure, innumerable shadow tentacles suddenly emerged.
These shadow feelers seemed to be like plant roots, spreading all over in large quantities till they practically blotted the sky.
The world suddenly became dark and gloomy.
“Shadow Domain!”
Leylin whispered, and his body became a black figure, dissipating into the air.
*Boom! Boom!*
The ice blades and huge hammer struck the floor, leaving behind two huge holes with traces of green smoke emitting around them.
“Take care of our defense!” The team leader roared.
“It’s too late! Within the shadows, I am everywhere!”
Black light flashed, and Leylin’s figure appeared behind the rock shield.