Noel was stealthily moving through the crowd when a familiar figure suddenly blocked his path.
It was Ichiya—still under the influence of mind control. In his hand was a vial of cologne, but unlike his usual formulas, this one was a yellow reagent.
As soon as the vial was uncorked, those nearby began to slow down. It was as if their will to fight had been sapped completely.
Realizing the danger, Noel quickly pinched his nose shut. If he inhaled it, he would likely fall under the same effects as the rest of them.
Ichiya glanced around at the collapsing crowd, then quickly plugged the vial with its cork again.
"You really helped me out there," Noel said with a smirk, momentarily amused.
But Ichiya wasn't about to let Noel pass. He pulled out two vials of reagent and stuffed them into his nostrils.
"No way…" Noel muttered, on the verge of laughing—until he saw Ichiya's body begin to swell, muscles bulging. The humor immediately vanished from his face.
Then came the punch. Ichiya slammed his fist down toward Noel.
"Wind Barrier!"
A soft green magic circle appeared around Noel, forming a thick shield of wind. Ichiya's punch hit the barrier, rippling it outward in waves.
Cracks formed. Another punch. And another. Blow after blow rained down, each one fracturing the barrier further.
Noel didn't stay passive—he whispered:
"Alchemy: Stone Wall."
The ground beneath Ichiya shifted, crumbling as stone walls shot up one after another, forming a cage around him.
Ichiya crouched briefly, then leapt straight onto the stone wall.
"Okay, that's cheating," Noel muttered, exasperated.
Still, something felt off. No matter how hard the fight became, Ichiya never let go of the Flower of the Underworld in his hand. Why would someone cling to it so tightly, even during intense combat? It defied logic.
Ichiya jumped from the wall and landed hard—slamming into the ground and forming a deep crater. Thankfully, Noel hadn't been standing there a second earlier.
Ichiya looked at him, fists flying instinctively. Noel tried to dodge, but was a fraction too slow—taking a hit to his right cheek.
Clutching his face, Noel stared at Ichiya. Is this my teammate? Or an enemy now? He couldn't tell anymore. But his eyes remained locked on the flower in Ichiya's hand.
That flower had to be the key.
"Wind Magic: Exchange – Spark."
Flames danced across Noel's palms, flickering like a mischievous child—left, right, left again.
Ichiya shielded the flower as best he could, but sparks slipped through the gaps in his fingers. The flower began to smolder under the heat, slowly turning to ash.
"Agh, it burns!" Ichiya yelped, shaking his hand.
Looking around in confusion, he blinked several times.
"Where am I? Wasn't I sleeping? Why am I out here in the middle of nowhere?"
He saw the crowd and the chaos all around him. "What the heck is going on? Why did I use strength cologne? I don't remember anything..."
But there was no time for answers. More people surged toward Noel—waves upon waves of villagers.
"This one's yours now," Noel said quickly, vanishing once more into stealth.
The mob swarmed over Ichiya. Person after person clambered up his body like he was a rock wall. Their weight was clearly intended to overwhelm him.
With a massive twist, Ichiya flung them off. Some were lucky and landed in trees. Others hit the ground hard.
Elsewhere, the other four were locked in a grueling battle. Spells flew everywhere, but the enemy numbers weren't decreasing. There were simply too many.
"These people just keep coming! We knock some down and another wave takes their place!" Hibiki yelled.
"And we can't use full force—they're just townsfolk," Ren added helplessly.
"Snow Pillars!"
Eve summoned wave after wave of snow from the sky, burying the villagers beneath it.
"Still, what are we supposed to do?" Ivan muttered, shaking his head.
Jura had a much easier time. As a member of the Ten Wizard Saints, dispatching normal townspeople was trivial. His control was precise—neutralizing them without causing serious harm and ensuring they wouldn't be rejoining the fight any time soon.
That was the key difference: reducing numbers vs. just repelling.
The younger trio, though powerful, lacked the efficiency Jura had. They were draining their magic reserves while making minimal progress.
Even Jura began to feel the strain. Though he'd felled a large number, the villagers felt endless—wave after wave, never stopping.
Then his gaze fell on the robed figure. That man was the real problem. Eliminate him, and maybe this tide would finally break.
"Iron Rock Wall: Chain!"
Massive steel-hard stone spires erupted from the ground. Jura used them as stepping stones, racing toward the robed man.
The figure's expression shifted. He hadn't expected anyone to reach him so soon. The crowd was supposed to exhaust their enemies, not let them through.
These mages were much stronger than anticipated.
"Double Magic Circle: Thunder Strike!"
The already blood-red sky grew even more menacing. Thunder rumbled through it. Crimson clouds boiled and sparked.
Two overlapping magic circles targeted Jura. A lightning serpent coiled and struck downward.
"Multi Pillar Rain!"
Jura summoned countless stone pillars, shielding himself completely. Thunder struck, blackening the stone.
Then Jura stepped out from behind the smoldering columns, unscathed. Step by step, he drew closer. His speed was blinding.
The robed man grew visibly anxious. This man was too powerful. Even after all this, his magic reserves were still overflowing.
How? The robed figure stared at the path of stone Jura had created. This guy's a monster…
Meanwhile, Noel darted through the crowd. The sudden appearance of stone walls made maneuvering difficult.
"No coordination at all!" he grumbled.
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