The massive black shadow began to expand continuously, an endless abyss spreading out from the darkness, swallowing everything around it entirely.

Under the once green sky, all colors were wiped clean.

Falling into the blackness, even outlines could no longer be discerned.

The surrounding monsters vanished as well, leaving a suffocating silence.

Gradually, a crow descended from the branches, landing on the ground and adjusting its monocle.

"Though, I must admit, I now prefer the name 'Vega.'"

The monocle over its single eye gleamed with a silvery light, blending seamlessly into the darkness.

Sapphirose felt the surrounding air grow colder, her feathers on both pairs of wings trembling slightly.

She slowly propped herself up with her legs, instinctively wanting to flee from this place.

But...

Her body was restrained.

It was as if some force had completely locked her muscles and limbs in place.

"Well then, it seems I shouldn't be discussing such matters with you."

"You shouldn't have much independent thought, after all." Vega stared directly at Sapphirose, his gaze calm and unwavering.

Yet Sapphirose, despite being bound, continued to struggle, trying to break free from this strange restraint.

Vega flapped his wings and flew to Sapphirose's shoulder, perching there.

"Hmm, don't move."

"Let me take a good look."

His words carried a certain magical quality, infiltrating Sapphirose's ears.

Soon, Sapphirose's white body gradually stopped moving.

Her eyes became hollow and lifeless, her limbs drooping as she was forcibly suspended in mid-air.

The blue light in Vega's eyes flickered incessantly, and a stream of magic emanated from his body, slowly merging into the surrounding darkness.

He scrutinized Sapphirose's body carefully, as if seeing through her entirely.

As he observed, he clicked his tongue in amazement and remarked:

"To think that even dragon bloodlines could be fused into you. The one who designed you must be a genius."

"I see... Yes, yes... I've learned it all."

Vega nodded knowingly, as if he had fully understood.

"As a token of my gratitude, let me give you a little gift."

A sly glint flashed in his eyes, and Vega shook his small, black-feathered body.

A single feather gently fell onto Sapphirose's body, transforming into a beam of light as it touched her white form, merging into her.

After completing this, Vega flapped his wings and took flight, casting one last glance at Sapphirose.

"Don't disappoint me."

As his words fell, his small body turned into a streak of black light, shooting into the dark expanse of the sky.

The boundless darkness around them began to shrink, retreating into the corners as faint shadows.

Until the world was restored, Sapphirose's eyes gradually regained clarity.

The moment the restraints were lifted, she collapsed onto the ground, supporting herself with her hands as she gasped heavily for air.

At that moment, the surrounding monsters began to emerge once more.

They surfaced from the green earth, struggling to pull their bodies free and scanning the area for targets.

Resembling giant wolves with lion-like heads, each finger bore sharp claws, while their hind legs ended in sturdy hooves.

Upon spotting Sapphirose, their pupils contracted entirely, their limbs moving rapidly as they charged towards her.

Tearing open their massive jaws filled with sharp fangs, they leaped into the air, pouncing towards Sapphirose.

But as Sapphirose, who had just regained her senses, barely lifted her head, she didn’t even spare them a glance.

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In an instant, a long blade materialized in her hand, slicing through the air with a flash of light, unleashing a circular arc of pitch-black flames.

The monsters' bodies were severed in mere seconds, split cleanly in two as they fell from the sky.

Boom!

The bisected corpses crashed heavily to the ground, spilling streams of green blood.

The earth cracked open once again, swallowing the dismembered remains piece by piece.

Sapphirose slumped on the ground, her snake-like pupils widening in disbelief as she stared at her trembling hands.

She had grown stronger.

In her mind, the image of the black crow lingered, refusing to dissipate.

...

Erica sat at the table, taking small sips of porridge to regain her strength.

Although she was glad to have seen Viktor upon waking up, there was still an uneasiness lingering in her heart.

She cautiously raised her head, observing the situation before her.

Princess Aurelianne sat in a chair, her head lowered, her expression somewhat dazed.

Meanwhile, the usually composed Gwen Delin was pacing back and forth in the room, visibly anxious.

The atmosphere was tense, to say the least.

And the one responsible for all this, Erica had learned, was none other than the elf Cocotte Yade.

Her identity was rather unique—former council member and queen of the elves.

Yet, with her perpetually drowsy demeanor, it was hard to associate her with the image of a queen.

After Viktor had left the room, seemingly to handle some matters—or perhaps simply to escape the awkward atmosphere—Erica focused on finishing her meal, gradually feeling her strength return.

As she lifted her head again, her gaze met Gwen’s.

"...Forgive me for being so direct, Lady Erica," Gwen began, her tone urgent, a stark contrast to her usual calm demeanor. "Why are you here?"

Erica’s pale face showed no sign of deceit as she shook her head weakly and replied in a feeble voice, "I don’t know."

After all, when she regained consciousness, she had already been here.

Gwen stood still, scrutinizing Erica.

She could sense the sincerity in Erica’s tone and the authenticity of her frail state—it was impossible to fake such weakness.

And yet...

She found herself longing for the righteous power of discernment she once possessed, the ability to see through lies and truths. Why had it disappeared?

Under Gwen’s intense gaze, Erica felt the pressure mounting. She bit her lip before speaking again.

"Lady Gwen, you know... Before this, I had been training in the Northern Lands, never setting foot elsewhere."

"But..." Erica began recounting the events leading up to her arrival.

She described the appearance of the massive black dragon over the Northern Lands, towering over the Pale Mage Society.

General Vladimir Lebedev had fought valiantly, sustaining grave injuries, nearly losing his life.

Erica continued, "When that creature appeared above the Northern Lands, I distinctly felt its gaze on me."

"And... I think I could hear its voice."

Her voice trembled slightly as she recounted the memory:

Erica had been among the Northern residents evacuating, yet an inexplicable force compelled her to stop and look up at the monstrous being.

In the sky, the black dragon’s eyes remained fixed on her, and Erica could swear she heard its voice within her mind.

"Come with me... Leave this place."

"That’s what it said to me," Erica stated firmly.

The rest of her story was familiar—she approached the dragon, calming its fury and saving countless lives in the Northern Lands.

"So, I left with it. When I woke up again, I found myself here."

Hearing this, even Aurelianne lifted her head to look at Erica, while Gwen’s expression softened slightly, tinged with admiration.

If Erica’s account was true, then this young woman had single-handedly saved tens of thousands of lives in the Northern Lands.

Her sacrifice commanded respect.

This wasn’t something that could easily be fabricated. If Erica’s story was accurate, the residents of the Northern Lands would have witnessed it firsthand, and news of such a significant event would surely spread.

It wouldn’t take much effort to verify her claims.

"Hmm... Do you know the elemental attribute of that creature?" Cocotte suddenly spoke up, sitting lazily on her cloud with her arms crossed.

All magical creatures possessed elemental attributes, determining the types of elemental skills they could wield.

For instance, creatures dwelling near volcanoes were typically fire-aligned, while those in forests were aligned with wood.

These attributes also dictated elemental weaknesses, a fundamental concept taught in the academy.

Erica nodded firmly. "Wind."

She began describing the scene in vivid detail:

"The black dragon’s body emerged from the gloomy clouds, surrounded by a violent storm."

"Spinning hurricanes rose from the ground, tearing through even the sturdiest ice, reducing it to shards."

Cocotte listened intently, closing her eyes and nodding in understanding.

"Ah, as I thought," she murmured.

Aurelianne quickly turned to Cocotte. "Councilor Yade, do you... know something?"

"Well, let’s see..." Cocotte replied, her tone playful as she turned her gaze back to Erica.

"But I am curious—why did that creature seek you out?"

"By the way, didn’t you fall seriously ill some time ago? Do you recall your body being covered in vibrant flowers and plants?"

Erica nodded. "Yes, that was about one or two months ago."

The memory of her previous illness was still fresh in her mind.

Cocotte nodded thoughtfully before turning to Aurelianne.

"Little Princess, do you remember when Viktor brought you to the Mage Council?"

Aurelianne nodded eagerly, recalling the awe she had felt witnessing her teacher’s immense power.

Cocotte, now resting her chin in her hand, observed Erica with a knowing look.

"Well, I do understand some things now," she said, her gaze carrying a hint of surprise.

Because...

Just as the Wind Calamity sought out Erica, the revival of the Wood Calamity coincided with Erica’s mysterious illness.

The timing... matched perfectly.