Chapter 345 - 309: Goodwill
"Ha!"
An explosive and feral cry, tinged with a chilling killing intent, echoed through the ruined courtyard!
This female Vanguard wielded a large shield in one hand and a square-headed iron hammer in the other.
Facing the Withered Wood Guard, whose body was covered in mutated, hardened bark, she charged straight forward.
She raised her shield!
Then brought her hammer crashing down!
Utterly fearless!
"BANG!"
A single strike shattered the Withered Wood Guard’s outer bark.
Under her defense, the front line was as steady as a mountain!
Besides her, two Warriors skirmished on the flanks.
One used a Giant Axe, the other a Longsword.
They would seize any opportunity to rush forward and hack away, severing branches.
However, the Withered Wood Guard felt no pain like a creature of flesh and blood, so their attacks did little to hinder it.
And behind these three was a man in a long robe.
This was the Mage!
The man raised his Magic Wand, and an Arcane Missile shot forth!
"BOOM!"
The Magic landed a direct hit on the Withered Wood Guard’s flailing branch-like arm. The Magic Power detonated, blasting apart a limb as thick as a water bucket!
Then, taking advantage of the opening, the man began to quickly gather his power again.
A vast Magic Wave radiated outward as energy condensed within the shaft of his Magic Wand.
With a flash of white light, a terrifying amount of Magic Power erupted!
Zelir’s eyes widened in astonishment.
’Something’s not right!’
This Magic was completely different from any of the offensive spells he had ever cast.
It was nothing like Arcane Missile, Aurora Energy Beam, or even Magic like Flame Breath Skill or Fractal Fire.
When casting those, there was always a process: the spell would finish coalescing at the Magic Wand, launch, and then travel to strike the target.
During that travel time, it could be blocked or dodged.
But the Magic this man released skipped the launch phase entirely, taking effect directly on the Withered Wood Guard.
It was an incredibly precise, targeted strike—basically a guaranteed hit!
The man ignored the layers of obstructing branches and directly attacked the Withered Wood Guard’s greatest weakness—the core in its chest!
All the Magic Power stored within the Spell Structure was unleashed in an instant, detonating in a flash!
The entire process of the Magic Power’s reaction was dazzling, and its output efficiency was extremely high.
As a result, its destructive power was even more terrifying!
There was no warning, no flight path.
A ball of light simply bloomed into existence at the core of the Withered Wood Guard’s chest!
"BOOM!!!"
The Magic Power triggered a violent explosion.
In that instant, the air was blasted aside, forming a shockwave visible to the naked eye!
The rampaging Tree Spirit, so menacing just moments before, was instantly torn apart by this one spell.
Wood chips, broken branches, and shattered vines shot out in all directions like a torrential downpour!
The terrifying pressure wave, mixed with the aftershock of Magic Power, swept through half the courtyard!
The nearby bushes and weeds were all flattened, broken by the blast wave.
And the Withered Wood Guard at the center of the explosion... was now nothing but a pile of charred, rotten wood.
A fatal blow!
’So strong...!’ Zelir couldn’t help but marvel inwardly.
Judging by the Magic Wave emanating from the man...
He was, without a doubt, a Middle Level Mage!
Within the Technique Celestial Calculation, a new analysis task appeared.
Instant Flash Ball, analysis progress—2%.
This Magic was a multi-layered Spell Structure, but it didn’t reach the Level Four of Flame Thunder Spear.
It was a Level Three Multi-layered Technique Structure Magic.
But judging by its power, it had already surpassed the Level Four Single-layered Spell Structure Magic that Zelir had mastered, Aurora Energy Beam.
’Instant Flash Ball is a great tool—powerful, ignores obstacles, and offers pinpoint demolition.’
Zelir began to ponder this carefully.
’A Level Three Multi-layered Technique Structure Magic...’
’I wonder if I’ll be able to cast it after the analysis is complete.’
His current skill level was in a bit of an awkward spot.
He couldn’t cast the Flame Thunder Spear, which was a Level Four multi-layered Spell Structure, but he could cast Whispering Barrier, a Level Two multi-layered Spell Structure.
’I’ll have to try it myself to know for sure...’
After the battle ended, the squad members had a moment to observe their surroundings.
The Swordsman was the first to spot Zelir and his group.
The Swordsman turned his head, his gaze as sharp as a hawk’s.
His brows furrowed, and the sword he had just sheathed was drawn again with a SHING, as he spoke in a cold voice.
"Hey, what are you looking at over there?"
His shout put the other members on alert, and they all stared in Zelir’s direction.
The Warrior with the axe roared.
"Get lost! Or you’ll be sorry!"
His face was fleshy and rugged, twisted into a vicious expression.
The shield-bearing female Vanguard also took a few steps forward, positioning herself to protect the Mage in their party.
Their squad had just finished subjugating a Demon and had expended some Physical Strength; this was the most vulnerable time to be ambushed.
Suddenly encountering another Adventurer Squad, it was only natural to be wary.
For a moment, the air was thick with tension.
The Mage had also been about to issue a warning and gather Magic to try and intimidate them.
But as his gaze swept over them, he suddenly froze for a second.
The unique Perception shared among Mages allowed him to keenly pick up on something unusual.
The other party was actually giving off a Magic Wave.
’This feeling...’
’There’s no mistake.’
The black-robed young man in their group... was also a Mage!
The man’s wary expression softened, and he let out a sigh of relief.
He patted the Giant Axe Warrior on the shoulder.
"No need to be so tense. They have a Mage."
Marcus, who had been about to shout an explanation to ease the tension, also froze for a second.
He saw the other Mage’s change in attitude and was a little confused.
’How did he go from being so murderous to suddenly being so much friendlier?’
"Hey, kid."