Unburdened by his colleagues, Novus was finally able to try something painful. A lot painful.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

With each heartbeat, Novus’ mana flushed his system as he tried to line his mana vessels with a smooth cover of mana. This action did alleviate the pain from his pruned mana system but didn't remove it. As he activated his mana, a singular, glowing crimson halo appeared behind Novus.

Doing this with a crowd is a stretch, but it should barely work if I focus on only the offensive players.

With nearly graceful arm movements, Novus stirred the surrounding mana and lightly whispered.

“Niem (Air).”

Light winds emerged from Novus’ fingertips and slowly sifted through the crowd of players. Only the sensitive ones like Adrianne, Percival, and Cain noticed the subtle gust, and for a split second, Cain’s eyes flashed. His lips parted as he mumbled a few words, and the air flowing near Cain’s spear began to rotate.

Despite his arms throbbing against him, Novus continued, and the crimson halo behind him glowed in response.

“Vyir (Fire)”

The wind around the player's weapons heated instantly as a slam sent them retreating.

Slam! Slam!

Tham’s staff emitted a sickening hue, and a brief fear set in Tham's eyes as he gazed at the weapons that glowed red with heat. Then, with violent intensity, Tham made the players retreat from around him as he wildly swung his staff at the ground. Just then, a cry spurred the hesitant players back into action.

“Don’t let up! MDDs full force!”

Cain weaved amongst Tham’s strikes as he taunted the ugly goblin leader by himself. He had some opportunities to strike, but he didn't. By now, the horned spear in his hand had begun making a whirling sound as it spun faster and faster. Oddly enough, the spear remained in Cain’s hand despite it not touching his hand at all. In return, Cain’s small mana bar was running lower with each moment that passed.

Cain must've used a system feature that Novus didn't know about since a message popped up while he was dodging Tham's strikes.

New message from Cain: Hurry up.

Novus smiled as the mana particles in the air coalesced according to Novus' incantation. Sparks flared out flames along the offensive player’s weapons as his hands plummeted. The shocked players nearly dealt damage to themselves from the wild flames that appeared along the edge of their blades.

The fear in Tham's eyes reached a crescendo as he slammed his staff down at the unexpected sight of multiple dancing flames.

SLAM!

The darkened hue on Tham’s staff burst out and caused a dark shockwave that blasted the nearby players back.

“Fall back!”

Slam! Slam! Slam!

Tham’s staff hit the area around him like a buccaneering bull, each attack releasing a decreasingly prominent dark shockwave. However, the other players hurriedly cleared the area without losses, thanks to Cain's timely judgement. Unfortunately, not everyone made it out unscathed.

Novus couldn't help but think to himself.

Overall, they’re well trained.

Suddenly, another message popped up.

New message from Cain: I need a distraction.

Novus’ face scrunched.

Who does he think I am, a miracle worker?

Novus looked over and chuckled. Then, he closed his eyes as he pulled his attention away from Cain’s spear, which now had a flaming vortex spinning around it due to Novus' incantations.

Instead, Novus began to focus on the ambient mana.

The atmospheric mana was like tiny, individual particles—each with its own unique structure and moving differently from one another like a snowflake in a snowstorm. Novus quickly connected using his Divine Sense and attempted to trace a constellation-like path towards Tham. However, Novus’ brows soon furrowed as he sensed the chaotic mana disrupting him. The origin was the tip of Tham's staff, which swirled the mana particles into disorder with each swing.

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Navigating around the disorderly mana particles required either blunt mana power or delicate mana control; Novus lacked both as his arms were now screaming out in protest, causing his control to slip.

Cain looked at the frowning, seemingly unhelpful Novus with a hint of disappointment. Then, he turned to Tham as he dashed forward. On the party screen, Cain’s mana bar was running dangerously low in stark contrast to the speed of his rotating spear.

Despite being seemingly desperate, Cain was no fool. He had spotted an opportunity in Tham’s frenzied motions and decided to strike while his attack was still capable of delivering a potentially fatal blow.

An upwards staff strike sailed past Cain’s head as he closed in on a thin margin. Unable to match Tham’s gross height, Cain jumped forward as he closed in on a paper-thin margin. At that moment, Cain locked eyes with Tham.

Hmph!

Tham's eyes flashed with a deceiving clarity as his muscles flexed. Suddenly, his swinging staff was forcefully stopped midway and unexpectedly charged back down towards the airborne Cain. Novus’ eyes shot open as he yelled the words too late.

“Above!”

Cain felt the pressure from above as he gritted his teeth and levelled his spear against Tham’s heart, ready to trade blows now that worst had come to worst.

“Vyir.”

Snap!

A tiny spark lit up between Tham and Cain as Novus snapped his fingers. Then, an explosive flash blinded both parties and created a gap in Tham’s movements that Cain skillfully seized, despite also being disorientated.

RIZZZZZ!

The high-speed sound of Cain’s flaming vortex spear piercing into Tham’s shoulder took over the show. It was only shadowed when a piercing wail shook the room.

“GRAHH!”

Burned blood splattered onto Cain’s shocked face as he struggled to blink away the flash stuck in his eyes. To him, it almost seemed like there was a blackened hole in Tham’s shoulder.

But that wasn't possible! It shouldn't be possible!

It took Cain a moment to adjust his sight as Tham’s staff switched from his limp arm to his free hand.

Tham’s ferocious face twisted in pain and contorted more as yellowing rage overtook his sight. Finally, Tham’s staff shot down to pummel the disorientated Cain, who looked like they might become the second coming of Percival, about to be smashed into oblivion.

However, a lurking member of the crowd took advantage of the opportunity.

Slice! Slice!

Adrianne’s twin swords dug deeply into the charred puncture wound as Tham felt a wave of pain shake his actions. Meanwhile, a barely recovered Cain rolled out of the way and retreated into the tide of players coming to support him.

“GRAHH!”

Tham couldn’t follow up another attack as the offensive player’s weapons dug into his flesh and left charred scars across his skin. Not even Tham’s regeneration was enough to keep up as he howled again in pain.

“GRAAHHHH!”

“Fall Back!”

New message from Cain: What did your magic do? Why the f*ck did my spear dig a hole in his shoulder?

Novus squinted his eyes as he tried to figure out Cain’s intentions.

Message to Cain: With a strike like that, why wouldn’t it?

Cain’s eyes shifted around the battlefield as he noticed a familiar confusion fill the player’s heads. They all asked the same question in their head.

Where did the shards of light go? Hey, developers! There’s something wrong with your game! Before, my sword would only make a gash of light shards, and now it leaves a disgusting, bloody gash!

Unknown to Novus, his glitch-like abilities to affect the system had switched the player's visual effects to one much like his own once Novus' fire blessed the attacking player's weapons.

??? expresses their regret at the deceit's ending.

Novus didn't have enough time to be concerned with the mysterious divine. He had bigger problems to solve.

New message from Adrianne: The staff is activating. And Tham’s health went well below 50%

Suddenly, Tham’s enraged presence grew in real-time.

SLAM!

A hard light flashed at the tip of Tham’s staff as the bottom bit into the ground and slowly darkened into a dark marble grey. The colour snaked up the staff and into Tham's skin and shone in a metallic lustre over his body. Oddly unaware of the damage from earlier, Tham stood up and commanded his presence to the players.

“YOU. ALL. DIE!”

Unfortunately, for the players, the battle had only just begun.

----------------------------------------

Light rain drops pelted Edna’s face while the wind parted her hair. But, of course, Edna was letting it, or with her powers, she could protect the whole island against regular hurricanes.

Edna closed her eyes as she faced the nostalgic breeze. It reminded her of her coastal hometown all those decades ago.

Life was so much simpler back then.

Edna’s hand pierced upwards into Mercury’s heart.

At least, that’s what should have happened. Slowly, Mercury's body rapidly dispersed into a bundle of shadows around Edna's hand and left behind a voice as they disappeared into thin air.

“Will you accept the challenge to save him?”

Edna’s hand burst with white fog that instantly ate away the dispersing shadows. When she opened her eyes, her vision was already watching the mountain peak scenery whizz past her.

Edna had accepted the challenge and descended from the mountain top.