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The forest was blanketed in a thick, dark purple mist, and an ominous presence filled the air.
Within the mist, the massive silhouette of Ophiuchus surged slowly, its eyes locked onto Erigor with intense killing intent. As the hidden thirteenth sign of the Zodiac, Ophiuchus possessed power that surpassed the standard twelve; in the Celestial Spirit World, its status was second only to the Celestial Spirit King himself!
"Storm!" Erigor shouted. A magic circle manifested between his hands, and a violent tornado swept across the battlefield.
He glanced toward Yukino, the greed in his eyes intensifying. Although he didn't recognize Ophiuchus by name, he could feel an overwhelming pressure from this spirit—one far greater than that of Pisces. This meant its value on the black market would be astronomical!
The tornado grew larger, forcefully dispelling the purple mist and tearing toward Ophiuchus, crushing every tree in its path. However, Ophiuchus remained unfazed. Its gaze held nothing but cold aggression. It coiled its body slightly before launching itself like an arrow from a bow, rushing toward Erigor at blinding speed.
The wind from the tornado only slightly hindered its momentum; it couldn't even scratch the spirit's scales. Seeing the serpent charging with its jaws wide open, Erigor cursed and desperately released another spell.
"Storm Coat!"
A layer of translucent, pale white wind condensed into armor around Erigor's body. This "Storm Coat" served as a defense while simultaneously lashing out with blade-like wind at any enemy that got too close.
Ophiuchus did not hesitate. It bit down directly on Erigor, its razor-sharp fangs grinding against the wind armor and slowly crushing it!
"How is this possible?!" Erigor gasped. "Even a powerful Celestial Spirit should be limited if its wizard's magic power is weak! What kind of serpent is this?!"
Erigor struggled to control the wind, resisting the crushing force of the snake's teeth as he tried to break free. Panic began to set in; his only hope now was to evade the spirit and attack Yukino directly.
While Erigor was occupied, Yukino was desperately running through the woods. She knew that despite Ophiuchus's immense strength, her own magic reserves were too low to let the spirit exert even a tenth of its true power. It was a battle of attrition she couldn't win. Once her magic was exhausted, Erigor would be on her again.
"Ophiuchus..." Yukino whispered, clutching the 13th key tightly. Tears blurred her vision as she ran, but suddenly, she found herself surrounded.
"To think the President would be caught in such a fierce struggle. This little girl shouldn't be underestimated," a voice sneered.
A teenager with "pineapple-style" hair stepped forward. Beneath his feet, a dark liquid-like shadow rippled, forming into a shadow serpent. This was Kageyama, the only other formidable mage in Eisenwald besides Erigor. The rest of the guild members were largely unremarkable—fodder that Erigor only recruited to fill the ranks.
Yukino stepped back, her face pale as she faced dozens of dark wizards. Celestial Spirit wizards are physically vulnerable and rely entirely on their summons. Having only recently escaped the island where the "R-System" was being built, she had only managed to collect Pisces and Ophiuchus. With Pisces exhausted and Ophiuchus busy with Erigor, she was defenseless.
"Kageyama, let's just kill her," a man with a scar suggested, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent. "If she dies, the spirit will vanish and the keys will be ours."
Kageyama frowned. "No. If we force her to close the gate, the serpent will return to its world. There's no need for that." Unlike his comrades, Kageyama harbored a secret dislike for senseless killing; deep down, he yearned for the life of a light guild.
"Fine, have it your way," the scarred man muttered, though his eyes were full of contempt for Kageyama's mercy. To him, such "righteous" behavior was a disgrace to a Dark Guild.
The scarred man stepped toward Yukino and drew his iron sword. "Little girl, send that spirit back now, or don't blame me for being impolite!" He leveled the blade at her throat.
Suddenly, a pair of dark purple claws struck from the shadows, sending the scarred man flying through the air and crashing through several trees.
"Who's there?!" The Eisenwald members spun around, raising their guard.
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