An ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Easy Victory?

Blood Frenzy!

Her pupils turned demonic red, and her fangs slowly emerged. Facing Camilla, who had transformed into a Vampire, Beverly's brows furrowed slightly.

"Are you going to fight me?"

"I must do this."

Just how strong was the Vampire form of Camilla?

Judging from how Serea always guarded against her, one could see her threat. Now, her appearance made Beverly, who had no token, treat the situation as if facing a formidable enemy. However...

"I'll seize the chance to knock her out and take her away, so she won't get hurt in the upcoming battle."

Thinking this, Beverly also made her own preparations for battle.

The two squared off. Although Camilla, vampirized, was a Level 27 Gold Elite and slightly stronger on paper, she had almost no real combat experience with this power. Thus, in actual combat, her lack of experience became her most serious weakness.

Of course, whether Beverly could truly defeat her was another matter; all she needed to confirm was that Camilla had no intent to betray them. As for what happened next...

Skeletons surged out from the defensive formation in waves, while Serea's Death Crystal was rapidly depleting. Fortunately, the situation was developing in her favor.

Boom!

A Scorching Ray swept across the wooden palisade and exploded, charring the wood and opening gaps. Immediately after, a heavy piercing strike landed.

Bang!

The wooden wall collapsed and split open. The aberrant ogre above lost its balance and fell into the wave of Skeleton soldiers. They tore it apart in a few swift strikes, and at last, the true enemy appeared.

"Ahhhh!"

The wall breached, the Undead inside rushed out to clash with the Skeleton soldiers. Due to their advantage in level and attributes, the Skeleton soldiers could fell an enemy zombie or skeleton with a single blow, and they could even hold their own against the enemy's Skeleton Warriors.

As for Abominations and similar creatures...

"Sha!"

Several Bone Yan leapt forward in unison. Their-nimble forms could not be halted by ordinary Undead. They crashed into the Abominations, tearing and biting, and, with the support of dragonhawks, even the enemy warbeasts were no longer a threat.

The real problem, however, came from the Gargoyles. Unrestrained, their entry always inflicted massive casualties on the enemy.

Still, advantages came with losses. Both sides' soldiers were dwindling rapidly, while the Skeleton Warriors, dread Warriors, and blood slaves lingered at the fringes of the battle, ready but yet to enter, as the time was not yet right.

"Damnable wench..."

Maregof met Serea's gaze, and, with just one glance, they understood each other's intentions.

Shadow Spit!

Chips opened wide, spitting a beam of black energy. The wall was blasted apart, and Maregof fell to the ground.

Again!

Chips, relentless in the sky, unleashed a second Shadow Spit. This time, maregof began chanting a spell.

"O mighty spirit of earth, heed my call!"

At his cry, yellow earth churned, forming a giant humanoid golem. The golem endured the attack for Maregof, then hurled a barrage of stone spikes in return.

Nimbly dodging, Serea glanced at the enemy's information.

Earth Elemental, level 30, Epic, Warbeast!

As for Maregof himself...

Level 36! Epic! Demonkin!

Why had he grown so much stronger?

"If you're so eager to die, I'll oblige. Let me show you my new power!"

With that, maregof grabbed a corner of his cloak and tore it off. As the cloak was thrown away, Serea saw Maregof's current appearance.

Short and stocky, his body writhed with convulsing tentacles. His skin was green-black, veins bulged across its surface—a nightmare out of a horror movie.

"How truly disgusting, this power..."

"You'll only be smug for a moment. When you're kneeling before me, I'll show you fates worse than death!"

The tentacles within his body burst through the skin of his back, and, as blood sprayed everywhere, a pair of fleshy wings appeared behind him.

He shot skyward, flying straight toward Serea astride Bone Yan. Yet he failed to notice this 'Serea' seemed a bit off.

At the same time, several naga landed at the shore of Lake Nos, led by the Whirlpool Tide clan chief, kuruan Whirlpool Tide.

"Wooo!"

With a long cry, several monsters emerged from the water.

Long-necked, five-clawed with webbed feet, twenty meters long, fifteen meters high—these were Level 33 warbeasts, sturgeon Dragons. As draconic subtypes, they possessed tremendous combat power, and the naga had ridden them to arrive swiftly by water.

A glance at the distant firelight confirmed the direction—they were very close to the battle between Serea and Maregof.

"Abandon the Sturgeon Dragons and switch to water elementals. There's no time to lose—advance immediately!"

"Yes!"

At the same time, this news reached Serea's ear as well.

"Good, they've arrived. Get ready to move."

With that, the hidden Serea signaled Little Black to carry her, concealing herself inside the Reaper's Shadow cloak as Little Black activated Phantom Veil to obscure them both.

So, who was the Serea fighting Maregof?

Obviously, it was Pelam in disguise.

With Little Black's help, Serea successfully circled to the rear of the camp. The camp was filled only with brainless Undead, so no one noticed their movement.

Looking toward the five nearby altars—these were the heart of the ritual.

Get ready...

On the front lines, maregof and Pelam fought fiercely, with neither detecting anything amiss. On the battlefield, the overwhelming numbers of Undead began to push the Skeleton soldiers back in retreat.

"Hahaha, you're doomed—if you surrender, maybe..."

Before he could finish, countless blades of water slashed out from in the woods.

"Ungh!!!"

Caught off guard, maregof was hit, several tentacles chopped off, and he turned in rage toward the assailant. At first glance, he showed a look of horror.

Kuruan stood at the front, staff in hand, the naga at his back.

"Chief Kuruan!"

Seeing the naga appear, Pelam called out. Kuruan nodded slightly at her, then waved his staff.

"Aid our friends—break these wicked foes!"

"Kill!"

The naga charged forth. Seeing this, maregof fell back in fright, while his earth elemental remained on the field.

"The ocean will bow before us!"

Splash, splash, splash!

Torrents of water surged forth, transforming upon landing into water elementals. With the combined summoning of the naga priests, ten water elementals charged headlong into the tide of Undead.

"Glug!"

In a single round, the earth elemental was smashed into a muddy pulp, then washed over by more surging jets and Frozen Hell, reaping huge swathes of Undead. At the sight, Pelam followed the original plan and shouted,

"Full assault—breakthrough!"

"For the Queen!"

The giant Senluoluo was summoned, the Gate of the Underworld opened, and the Undead Dirge was chanted. With the skeletons leading the charge, the Skeleton Warriors and Dread Warriors' soul fire flared up in their skulls.

They evolved into Reaper Guardsmen!

The reserved Nether Crystals were used. The soul fire within the skulls of all present Skeleton Warriors and Dread Warriors turned black-violet, and their powers shifted to the power of the netherworld.

"Kill!"

United with the naga, the breakthrough carved the Undead line apart in an instant.

"Block them! Block them quickly!"

The enemy's sudden rally caught Maregof completely off guard. No matter how he shouted, the Undead simply could not hold back the assault, especially with over a dozen warbeasts on the opposing side.

At that very moment, a burst of magical energy flared. Maregof glanced back to see a strange blood-red magic array form above the five altars.

His heart sank, and he cried out in desperation,

"Stop!"

But there was no way Serea would listen.

"Clark!"

"Clark's coming!"

A massive boulder fell from the sky—the Heavy Strike Support landed a crushing blow at the center of the five altars, right on the main altar from which a pillar of light rose.

Bang!

A magical shield rose to block Clark. Serea responded by lashing blood-red tentacles at the barrier while continuously channeling Blood Spring to empower Clark.

"No!!!"

Maregof howled with agony, but before the immense might of the warbeast, the barrier cracked and shattered, and the stone spear plunged into the altar's magical conduits.

Boom!

Mana Disruption caused an explosion, destroying the altar. The shockwave sent Clark flying, smashing a field of zombies before soaring up again.

With the main altar destroyed, the black pillar of light in the sky began to flicker, then went completely dark...

It was done!

"Damn you! What have you done?!"

Maregof went mad. In order to obtain supreme, peerless power, he had forsaken his fortune, his body, and even all his tribespeople!

Yet now, everything—all his sacrifices—amounted to nothing.

"Argh!!! I'll kill you, all of you! I'll use your flesh and blood to restart the ritual—give me back my power!"

Driven insane, maregof lost all reason and charged straight at Serea.

But now he faced the real Serea. Not just her, even Clark alone would not let him advance.

A Scorching Ray slashed across. While Maregof dodged, a stone spear was hurled, knocking him back. The agonizing pain snapped him back to his senses.

Looking into the camp, the naga and skeletons had broken through. The Undead were left only to be whittled away and slaughtered.

After giving up everything, was he to lose his life, too?

Clenching his teeth, maregof decided to escape. If he could flee to another part of the jungle, with his capabilities, he could regain everything he once had—and take revenge once the time was right!

But as soon as he tried to run, the other Gargoyles swooped in to cut him off in the sky. With the dragonhawks encircling, all of Maregof's routes of escape were sealed.

It was all over, everything was over...

Yet, seeing this, Beverly's lips curled into a smile for some unknown reason.

Hehehe... it's finally about to begin...

The Undead died off one by one, the air thickening with death magic. Sensing this, Beverly seized an opportunity to break free of Camilla's entanglement and soared into the sky to stand beside Maregof.

"Beverly..."

Camilla hurried to catch up. Then, led by Serea, the others stood atop the palisade, forcing Maregof and the rest down onto the altar. With both sides facing off and the last wave of Undead slain, Serea spoke slowly.

"You've lost. Now tell me what your goal was, and where are Adolf and Alysta?"

As Serea finished, Camilla anxiously looked pleadingly at Beverly. If she cooperated, perhaps...

"Wishful thinking."

Just four simple words revealed Beverly's stance. To be able to say this under such circumstances made Serea uneasy. Noticing the cold smile on Beverly's lips, Serea's vigilance shot up.

"Restrain her!"

As the words fell, the Gargoyles made their move—but suddenly, a surge of Blood Spring erupted, shielding Maregof and Beverly. The immense force flung the Gargoyles back over a dozen meters.

That power was...

Alysta!

Then the ground suddenly trembled.

"This is bad—evacuate the camp, now!"

The group withdrew, and a second later, the ground surrounding the altar began to collapse at rapid speed. Fortunately, Serea and her companions were far enough that they escaped the camp. Looking back, the entire camp was sinking downward.

Rumble!

A huge pit formed. Peering into it, Serea frowned.

"That's..."

The enormous subterranean space was not filled in by the camp's debris; instead, an underground pool of black-violet sludge devoured everything and exuded a foul stench.

"Hello there, young lady."

A sudden voice snapped Serea's attention. She saw a man and a woman standing beside Beverly—and, upon checking their info...

Alysta! Level 35! Legendary! Lich!

Adolf! Level 37! Legendary! Lich!

A pair of ornate bone earrings hung from Alysta's ears, and Adolf wore a bone bracelet—

Just like the bone ring and bone necklace—tokens!

"Level 35 and 37, troublesome, but still possible to kill."

Sizing up the enemy, Serea concluded her side still held an overwhelming advantage. Yet, something felt off.

"Surrender. You cannot escape now."

The naga elder's voice sounded. Adolf just smiled.

"Escape? It seems you misunderstand. Why would we need to escape?"

"Your ritual has been destroyed by Queen Serea. The four of you alone think you can resist?!"

At this, the naga priests readied their magic to obliterate all four fiends.

"So you really think you've succeeded in foiling us..."

Adolf replied, leaving everyone puzzled.

Wasn't that so?

But looking up at the massive vortex in the sky...

"Dogsius, you said, as long as we cut off the mana supply, the ritual would stop, right?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"So do they have some other backup..."

Looking at Adolf, who then met Serea's gaze.

"One thousand powerful warriors sacrificed, an endless supply of mana crystals, and the final ingredient: death magic concentration!"

Right then, news arrived via Raven: the dwarf tribe, bearfolk tribe, and beastman tribe had all smashed through the Undead's blockage and were now surging toward their location.

Receiving this good news, the odd atmosphere only made things eerier.

Boom!

A thunderous roar prompted everyone to look up. The vortex in the sky spun once more.

Let me ask you all a question: Was this chapter drawn out? I feel like it was, even after several rounds of editing—it still doesn't feel as tight as I wanted. What do you think?

(To be continued...)

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