Chapter 33: Ruthlessness

Another dark green corrosive orb flew out, and a chubby man with sparse hair and crystal glasses among the gray robes couldn't dodge in time. The orb grazed his arm. Before he could react, a plump woman beside him screamed in terror.

The beautiful half-elf wizard dashed forward, drawing a dagger and swiftly chopped at the man's arm.

Blood spattered as the corroded arm, stripped to the bone, fell to the ground. The man writhed in agony, clutching his wound.

"Jolin!"

The plump woman threw herself onto the man, weeping in distress.

The half-elf wizard's handsome face showed a trace of reluctance as he glanced towards Linus.

Seeing Linus still chanting softly, a look of concern flashed across his face.

At that moment, an inexplicable energy wave spread through the scene.

The half-elf wizard looked up to see the black-robed wizard in the center of the clearing slowly raising his staff.

The staff, composed of several intertwined skulls, emitted a ghostly glow.

The half-elf wizard's heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly raised his staff, chanting a spell at high speed.

Meanwhile, Linus, who had been focusing on his spell with closed eyes, suddenly opened them.

A powerful energy field, almost on par with the black-robed wizard, surged from him. Linus's eyes glowed icy blue, and his robe billowed around him.

"Finally ready!"

The half-elf wizard's eyes gleamed with delight.

But when he realized Linus's spell target, his face changed.

"Linus! Don't aim at him directly! Take out his puppet first!"

The half-elf wizard shouted, ignoring the spell he was about to complete.

However, Linus, enveloped in a powerful aura, only gave him a cold glance before continuing his targeted spell.

"Ice Ray!"

Streams of icy blue energy swirled around Linus's arm, converging into a white point between his fingers. A thick blue-white beam shot out.

As the beam fired, the temperature plummeted. Centered on Linus, cold air spread, freezing large patches of grass under a thick layer of frost.

Seeing the blue-white ice ray heading straight for the black-robed wizard, the half-elf wizard gritted his teeth and yelled, "Nico!"

The sword-wielding figure, entangled with the flesh monster, erupted in white light, breaking free and rushing towards the black-robed wizard.

The blue and white forces struck the black robe simultaneously, engulfing him in a blinding light.

Linus lowered his hand, staggering back a few steps, clearly drained from casting such a powerful spell as a Level 5 apprentice.

"Linus, you're amazing!"

A voluptuous female wizard beside him caught him, offering a kiss. Her somewhat attractive face was filled with adoration and fascination.

Linus smiled weakly, pride flashing in his eyes as he enjoyed her admiration, but his gaze drifted instinctively towards the half-elf wizard.

However, the moment of triumph was short-lived as a cracking sound echoed.

The burly figure with the greatsword was forced back by an unseen force, once again ensnared by the flesh monster. The black-robed wizard, encased in large chunks of cracked ice, was unscathed beneath a translucent black shield.

His pale, sinister face bore a mocking grin, standing on an untouched patch of ground, free of frost.

"What?!"

Linus's expression fell from pride to panic, his face twisting in shock.

His female companion was equally stunned, releasing him as she backed away, fear creeping back into her eyes.

"How could a Level 6 apprentice not have corresponding defensive measures?" 

The half-elf wizard seemed to expect this outcome, muttering to himself. As he noticed the ghostly glow on the black-robed wizard's staff, resignation and bitterness crossed his delicate face.

"It's over."

"Buzz—"

The black-robed wizard raised his staff high, a ghostly green light emanating from its tip, expanding rapidly to envelop all the gray robes.

Within the green glow, the gray robes felt an overwhelming weakness, their limbs turning to jelly as they collapsed helplessly.

The burly figure, who had been holding his own against the flesh monster, was flung away.

Watching the fallen gray-robed wizards, the black-robed wizard sneered, casually pointing his staff. His flesh monster roared, charging towards Linus.

Linus, the first target, turned pale, struggling to retreat, but within the weakening field, he could barely stand, let alone flee.

As the terrifying flesh monster closed in, Linus, panic-stricken, searched frantically for something to aid him.

Seeing the female wizard beside him, a ruthless glint flashed in Linus's eyes. He mustered the strength to kick her shoulder hard.

Caught off guard, the voluptuous witch screamed as she tumbled towards the flesh monster, which promptly crushed her head underfoot, silencing her cries.

The flesh monster pressed on, and Linus finally trembled in fear.

The remaining gray robes were disheartened and furious, but mostly despairing.

Once the black robe dealt with Linus, they knew they would be next.

"Conrad, my dear, enjoy your lunch," the black-robed wizard smiled, strolling leisurely.

His eyes darted between the two half-elves, calculating silently, his eyes flickering.

"Crack—"

The flesh monster grabbed Linus, brutally tearing off his arm and stuffing it into its mouth.

Linus's screams echoed through the clearing, deepening the despair among the survivors.

Then, suddenly, "Whoosh—"

A powerful whistling sound approached from afar, accompanied by an intense energy particle wave.

The black-robed wizard, deep in thought, snapped to attention, turning towards the source of the sound and wave.

In the next instant, his pupils contracted sharply!

A massive blue-black energy orb, the size of a watermelon, hurtled along the ground with a roar.

As it passed, swathes of grass were uprooted and shredded, the fierce momentum akin to a hurricane.

The black-robed wizard had no time to react, only managing a hoarse shout: "Conrad!"

The flesh monster dropped Linus, charging forward to shield the black robe with its massive body.

"Boom!"

The blue-black orb collided with the flesh monster, erupting viole

ntly.

The monster didn't even have time to grunt before being obliterated into a mist of blood and flesh by the explosive energy.