Chapter 75: The Chance Within the Barrier

Sarah's heart pounded as she faced Jack atop the Tower of Shadows. The air crackled with tension, and the weight of their respective legacies hung heavy in the air. Sarah gripped the White Blessing Staff tightly, ready to unleash its divine power if necessary.

Jack smirked, his eyes filled with a mix of arrogance and anticipation. "So, you wish to challenge me, the inheritor of the dark mage Alcantraz's legacy? How amusing."

Sarah's voice resonated with determination. "I won't let you succeed, Jack. Your twisted ambition ends here."

Without hesitation, she channeled her mana, infusing it into the White Blessing Staff. The artifact responded, glowing with a brilliant, holy light. The radiance cascaded around Sarah, forming a protective barrier that shielded her from the malevolent energy emanating from Jack.

Jack's dark aura surged, a tempest of shadows swirling around him. He raised his hand, summoning dark tendrils that lashed out toward Sarah. But she stood her ground, using her mastery over holy energy to repel the sinister onslaught. The clash of light and dark filled the space, an epic battle between opposing forces.

If you looked up from below, you could witness the sparks of magic colliding in a mesmerizing display. It was a scene typically associated with mage battles of legendary proportions.

Using wind magic to levitate herself, Sarah floated above the ground to avoid being drawn into Jack's dark influence. At this point, she was already unleashing her full strength against him, reaching a remarkable 7-star mage level—an achievement that placed her among the youngest and most powerful mages in history.

However, despite her heightened abilities, Sarah found herself struggling to gain the upper hand against Jack. For the past five minutes, she had been unable to dislodge him from his position. Instead, she was continuously pushed back by his relentless counterattacks.

Realizing that the battle was taking a toll on her, Sarah made a decision. She needed to take her abilities to the next level. Unlike Jack, who drew power from the Alcantraz Tower, Sarah could only absorb mana from her surroundings like any other mage. If the fight persisted, she would inevitably deplete her mana reserves, rendering herself defenseless.

Without hesitation, Sarah cast a unique spell—one designed to activate her inherent constitutional ability. Each constitution possessed its own activation spell and conditions, but they all shared a commonality in their opening spells, making them easily recognizable to those with the knowledge.

Within moments, Sarah finished chanting her spell. Her body immediately began to glow, emanating the aura of a goddess descending upon the earth. Her white hair shone brightly, and her black eyes turned pure white—a visual manifestation of her Holy Blessing Constitution.

"The form of the Holy Blessing Constitution. Now, that is interesting. I wonder how far you can push me to use my abilities," Jack commented nonchalantly, seemingly unperturbed by Sarah's transformation.

"Then, I'll just have to make you understand with your own body," Sarah replied, her tone filled with unwavering determination.

In an instant, Sarah launched her attack, hoping to force Jack into retreat for the first time in their encounter. The clash between their powers intensified, each strike resonating with the immense force behind it.

Meanwhile, within the confines of the tower, Anna diligently followed Sarah's instructions. She focused all her attention on finding William's whereabouts. Time was running out, and she had less than ten minutes to locate him before she would be forced to leave.

"William! Where are you?" Anna's voice echoed through the darkness as she ventured further into the tower. The limited visibility forced her to rely on her voice to reach out to him. If William was safe, he should be able to hear her cries in this relatively small space.

Yet, there was no response to her calls, causing her heart to sink. It appeared that William's situation was more dire than she had initially hoped. Nevertheless, Anna refused to give up until she had exhausted every possibility, continuing to shout his name as she pressed forward.

With each step, Anna grew closer to a wall, or so she thought. In reality, it was a concealed barrier, hidden within the darkness. Anna could not perceive it until she moved directly towards it. Unaware of its presence, she questioned the sudden appearance of this mysterious barrier.

Perceiving no other viable options, Anna concluded that this barrier must be the only safe place where William could be found—if he managed to survive. However, there was a significant obstacle preventing her from reaching him—she couldn't penetrate the barrier.

"What should I do now? Wait, what?" Just as Anna pondered a solution, the barrier suddenly shifted, luring her within its grasp. Before she knew it, she was inside the barrier, drawn toward its center.

Contrasting the pitch-black darkness outside, the interior of the barrier was bathed in a radiant light, reminiscent of a sunlit afternoon. Anna surveyed her surroundings, realizing she had unwittingly entered the barrier. And there, under the protection of the white pagoda, sat William, his legs crossed as he held his sword on his lap.

"Hey, Anna, how are you doing? I assume you're all right," William greeted her with a gentle smile.

"William!" Anna's expression transformed into one of genuine relief upon seeing him unharmed. Her immediate goal was to escape this place together, but she soon discovered it wouldn't be as simple as she had hoped.

"We can't leave," William stated simply.

"Why?" Anna inquired, her voice laced with concern.

"Because this place is not just a barrier; it offers us a chance," William explained, hinting at a hidden opportunity within their confinement.

"A chance?" Anna's confusion was palpable as she turned to William, silently urging him to elaborate.

William nodded, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Yes, a chance to turn the tide of this battle and change everything."