"Don't be reckless, e back, Buck!" Jonny shouted loudly.

  Buck paid no heed and lunged forward with a ferocious expression.

  "Praise Ai - Holy Light Impact!" Archbishop Anluke slowly inted, casting a sed-tier divine spell.

  Dazzling white light erupted once again. This time, the body that stood as a shield in front of him was directly turned into a bloody mist, and the terrifying shockwave sent Buck flying effortlessly.

  Archbishop Anluke raised his staff to tinue his spellcasting to deal a fatal blow. In the critical moment, Dove intervened.

  A sharp, pierg screech, like the sound of death eg from hell, momentarily disrupted Archbishop Anluke's as, but only for a moment.

  "Fme's Touch."

  "Phosphorus - Fireball Spell."

  Lynn and Jonny, who had covered their ears in advance, simultaneously unleashed their most potent magic. Two scorg fmes surged toward Archbishop Anluke, f the Archbishop to switch from attack to defensive magic.

  Third-tier divine spell - "Holy Barrier!"

  An invisible barrier stood in front of Archbishop Anluke, effortlessly fending off the assault of the fmes. However, the white phosphorus fmes g to it, slowly but steadily corroding the surface of the invisible barrier.

  Roar!

  Buck, who had been severely injured and knocked down moments ago, stood up again. His bloodshot eyes and his increasingly bestial features were even more apparent.

  At this moment, Buck, like a giant bear standing upright, charged into the burning sea of fmes. His hair and robes were quickly engulfed by the white phosphorus fmes.

  The pain of being bur temperatures exceeding a thousand degrees was enough to make anyone go mad, but Buck paid no heed. From the moment he used the magic transformation spell as an apprentice wizard, the process of his transformation had bee irreversible, and breaking Archbishop Anluke's protective divine spell by his own strength was an impossible feat!

  "Jonny, Kora, you go first. I'll stay behind to avenge Barton!" Buck roared while smag his hand against the "Holy Barrier" in front of him.

  Ripples appeared on the invisible barrier, and Archbishop Anluke used a divine spell to send Buck flying.

  "We're going!" Lynn g Buck, covered in white phosphorus fmes, without hesitation. There was no way to save him now.

  After knog Buck away, Archbishop Aood in front of the o. Having suffered so many losses, he would not easily let Lynn and the others escape.

  "Repent before the great Lord, followers of the devil..." Archbishop Anluke raised the Episcopal staff in his hand and ted loudly.

  "Praise Ai - Holy Spirit's Light!"

  A dazzling light wave, emanating from the staff as its ter, spread out in a semicircur shape. It was unstoppable and unavoidable, as the divine spell's range covered most of the side chamber.

  However, Lynn was not a person without an escape pn. In fact, he had prepared for an escape strategy in case of a crisis before entering the side chamber.

  Lynn, Dove, and Jonny simultaneously pressed their hands on the ground.

  Zero-tier magic - "Basic Material Destru!"

  The solid floor instantly cracked, and three fine cracks spread like a spider's web, finally eg. Before the terrifying white light arrived, the grouh their feet had already colpsed...

  The failed "Holy Spirit's Light" passed through the colpsed cavity and struck the wall behind it, causing a series of explosions that soon reverberated through the castle.

  After the dust and debris settled, Archbishop Anluke's expression became quite ugly as he looked at the colpsed cavity ihe side chamber.

  "Roar!"

  A hoarse roar came from the side.

  Due to being thrown out by the earlier attack, Buck was not within the reach of "Holy Spirit's Light." However, at this moment, he had already lost his human appearand transformed into a robust giant bear, with his skin still covered in white phosphorus fmes. Uhe burned flesh, you could vaguely see his white bones.

  Even so, Buck tio charge forward fueled by his thirst for revenge.

  Archbishop Anluke frowned. He didn't have time to waste on a dying wizard apprentice. He extended his hand, and the fallen sand and stones quickly gathered and bined with the shattered armor on the ground to create two huge stoatues, each standing at three meters tall.

  This was a sed-tier divine spell, "Summon Guardian of the Spirit Realm."

  After the two stoatues were assembled, they separated. One of them swung its fist and khe giant bear Buck down, while the other jumped into the colpsed hole in the ground.

  ...

  "Thankfully, this pce isn't too high!"

  With the falling debris as a cushion, Lynn, with the bined effort of the three, successfully used the "Basic Material Destru" to break through the ground and reach the castle's basement.

  Lynn looked around. It seemed like a ons ste room, with numerous ons and swords piled on racks around them. In addition, there were may crates, probably where treasures were stored previously but had been taken by the castle's owner when he fled.

  After firming the enviro, Lynn immediately turned his attention to his two panions.

  Jonny was iively good dition, with severe magical exhaustion being his main issue. However, Dove was in a different state. After using "Soul's Scream" twi a row, she, despite being a rare psychic, could hardly stand.

  "Jonny, how far is it from here to the underground al?" Lynn asked.

  "Follow this path, keep going, and we should be able to reach it in no more than three minutes," Jonny replied, helping Dove to her feet. After a moment of hesitation, he quickly made up his mind. ", lit up. You lead Dove, and I'll try to divert Archbishop Anluke."

  Jonny was well aware that they couldn't outrun Archbishop Anluke. tinuing like this would iably lead to capture.

  Although he had expended a siderable amount of magi the previous battle, Dove could still cast two more upper-tier first-tier spells with the help of "Magids." This could buy them some time.

  The silver-haired witch lowered her head, and her red lips had traces of blood from biting down. She had promised her mentor Kora that she would safely bring everyone back to the nd of the wizards.

  But now, Kent was dead, Will was dead, Bud Barton had fallen right in front of her, and she couldn't do anything...

  "You might be a little te with that suggestion," Lynn said, looking up.

  In just that moment, there were already violent explosions from above, followed by a colossal stoatue, about three meters tall and armor, crashing down from the hole above.

  "Let's go!" Lynn grabbed Jonny and Dove by the arms, pulling them out of the falling debris zone and shouting loudly.

  He had been forced to use the white phosphorus fmes, inally meant for c their escape, to save Buck before. His magical energy was now depleted by more than half.

  Fag Archbishop Anluke once again, he had no ce of winning!

  The massive and heavy Guardian of the Spirit Realm fell to the ground, causing the entire floor to tremble. Then it stretched its stone arms and te strides toward the three of them.

  Lynn's expression tightened, and he was about to evade when a warning sound suddenly rang in his mind.

  (Warning... Detected severe illegal activities by the agreed target, suspected of using chemical ons to cause mass casualties, of a highly heinous nature! The criminal acts have been recorded. Before the federal police arrive, you will have one opportunity for an oatement...)

  [Warning... No signal... Warning... Not ected to the work... Please find a signal source promptly...]

  Lynn's face dispyed a mix of astonishment and joy. After reading the message and uanding its tent, the ers of their mouth twitched involuntarily.

  "What a ridiculous AI..."

  "I don't need an online narration. Turn off the warning sound a the remaining energy!" Lynn silently anded in their mind.

  [Remaining energy: 19.5 pert. Signifit increase in energy density detected in the viity, with aimated increase of one pert in energy reserves per hour.]

  So fast! Lynn couldn't help but be surprised. An increase of one pert per hour meant the energy would be full in about four days. But it had been five days sihe system was st shut down!

  Lynn g the smart brain's notification once more. A signifit increase in energy density? It couldn't possibly be reted to the castle beh their feet. It could only be the influenonday!

  "Kora!"

  Lynn was pting this when Johnny's shout interrupted their thoughts. A three-meter-tall Spirit Guard rushed towards them, wielding a sledgehammer, ready to strike.

  "Entering overload mode, three seds!" Lynn didn't turn around but silently uttered in their mind.

  In the moment, a massive influx of data streamed into Lynn's mind. With a powerful leap, they used the rea force to soar into the air, narrowly avoiding the heavy sledgehammer. Then, they nded oout arm of the Spirit Guard, pulled out a sharp Witch Hunter's sword, and embedded it into a cra the statue's neck, pinning it firmly to the wall behind!

  However, this strike clearly couldn't pletely shatter the statue. Lynn didn't force it and, after temporarily restrig the Spirit Guard's movement, deactivated the overload mode. They swiftly grabbed Johnny, who hadn't reacted yet, and tiheir escape.

  The smart brain's energy was now less thay pert, and it o be served for more critical situations.

  The group ran like mad, and after about ten seds, the sound of the giant statue's footsteps trembling the fl out again. Dove, who was holding onto Johnny's arm, trembled tinuously, sobbing softly. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Johnny... Carl..."

  "You knew from the beginning that Will had betrayed us, didn't you?" Lynn g Dove with certainty.

  Tonight, when trag Will, Lynn had sehat something was amiss. Will's behavior on his way to the ste room was too peculiar. Dove, who was on night watch, had probably been using the gray jays to monitor the entire castle. However, Will showed no vigi all and didn't even gnce around the windows or ers.

  This was clearly irrational, unless... Will was fident that there would be no sequences even if the gray jays discovered him.

  " you tell me the reason?" Johnny asked, gripping Dove's delicate hand tightly. She couldn't believe Dove would do something as treacherous as this.

  Dove's witched as she spoke with a tearful voice, her tone choked with emotion. Three nights ago, when it was Will's turn fht watch, she released the gray jays for patrol as usual. But to her surprise, she discovered that Will was secretly rep the situatioo the Church through an alchemical array.

  "Why didn't you tell us about this?" Johnny asked.

  "But... Will... Will had already discovered me. He said the Churew my identity. If I dared to tell you, my parents, my brother, and sisters would all be bound to the stake and buro death..." Dove's face showed a look of fear, and she sobbed as she spoke.

  Johnny fell silent. For apprentices like them, family safety was indeed a signifit . That was why in their situation, it was a taboo to inquire about each other's true identities. They couldn't even be sure if they were using real names.

  "Clearly, he lied to you. Perhaps Will didn't know your true identity, or maybe he inteo take all the credit himself," Lynn calmly remarked.

  From Will's hands-on approach, it arent that his words were likely just a ruse. Otherwise, he could have used this to manipute Dove into doing more for him.

  Of course, it was also possible that Will po keep all the credit for himself. The more he did, the more the Church might see his "siy" and pardon him as a "faithful follower of the Church."

  "Do you want to survive, Dove? I have a method that might deal with Archbishop Anluke," Lynn suddenly asked.

  Before Johnny could respond, Dove, her eyes brimming with tears, nodded. "Yes!"

  She didn't want to die.

  "Then tell me everything you know about magic. I o know the principles ahods of their use," Lynn said bluntly.

  "What are you pnning?" Johnny asked, surprised.

  "I think it's not too te to start learning from now ht?" Lynn said seriously.

  Now that 071 had beearted, it was time t things to a close.

  Chased all the way and having withe deaths of Bud Barton, Lynn was now burning with anger.

  But... was there really time? Johnny couldn't believe it, but after hesitating for a moment, he began expining.

  [Touched by Fme], [Fossil to Mud], [Icy Veil], [Minor - Fiery Grasp]...

  As Kora's most valued disciple, Johnny mastered a dozen or so first-tier spells, while Dove knew very few, only two highly specialized spiritual spells. It was said that only a ferentices with spiritual talents could master them.

  sidering the urgency of time, Lynn didn't get greedy. They selectively memorized a few and began practig them in their mind with the help of the smart brain.

  Lynn's posed appearance also ied Johnny and Dove, boosting their fiden defeating Archbishop Anluke.

  As the three advahe sound of rushing water reached them from the front, and the gentle breeze carried a hint of moisture.

  What they saw idly flowing underground river. The turbulent water gushed from underground tinuously, passing through a long tunnel, directly leading outside the castle.

  [Holy Light Impact]!

  Lynn and Johnny hadn't reached the riverba when a white light shot out from behind them.

  [Icy Veil] x2

  Johnny and Lynn exged a gnd simultaneously raised their hands. Two walls of ice crystals shot up from the ground, jointly blog this sed-tier divine spell.

  The two walls of ice crystals disied instantly, and the shards fell like hail.

  "Now, what do we do?" Johnny asked anxiously, looking at Lynn. The escape route was right in front of them, but ohey were swept into the swift current, they would have no means to resist Archbishop Anluke's attacks.

  "It's simple!" Lynn g Johnny and, without warning, took the girl's sword off her waist. To Johnny's surprise, Lynn pushed her directly into the swift current.

  The cold river water engulfed her nose and mouth, quickly soaking her entire body. Johnny keenly felt the massive iial force of the swiftly flowing water, forcefully pullioward the exit.

  Through the blurry curtain of water, Johnny vaguely saw Lynn's mouth moving as if bidding a final farewell. Then, a heavy object was thrown in her dire—Dove, who was in a panic.

  Watg the two being carried away by the current, Lynn wasn't particurly ed about the safety of the two witches. After all, a wizard who could trol oxygen wouldn't drown ier. Lynn simply added the unspoken sed part in their mind:

  "It's simple. Just don't get in my way here!"

  Weebkun