Chapter 9: The Approaching Battle (Part 2)

High above, the surrounding clouds were continuously drawn and compressed by the swirling magical energy around Aiden. The concentrated elemental power formed a dense cloud mass, spanning a hundred meters in diameter, centered on him. The two grand mages behind Aiden had turned pale as death. To them, this was no ordinary cloud; it was an ocean of countless tiny bolts of lightning woven together.

"Falling Stars?!" the two grand mages cried out in unison, their voices tinged with fear. Both were seasoned air mages themselves, but the sight of this ultimate air magic left them utterly terrified.

This was not forbidden magic, but in terms of destructive power and range, it was on par with such spells. It belonged to the highest tier of single-element magic, legendary techniques that only the most skilled masters of elemental magic could wield. Even among the four tower lords of the illustrious Tooth Tower, only Aiden and the former Water Tower Lord had mastered such ultimate spells.

Sweat beaded on Aiden's brow, but his expression remained as calm and sharp as ever, like a wolf eyeing its prey. He grinned cruelly and shouted toward the forest below:

"Hand over the World Tree leaf, or I'll raze the Whispering Forest to the ground."

His voice, amplified by air magic, rumbled like thunder across the entire forest, but it carried a chilling malice far beyond any natural storm.

"It's the necromancer!" Ruya looked up at the swirling storm of lightning-laden clouds and the figure hovering within them. Her beautiful face twisted in terror. She dashed toward the central altar at the summit of the Ancient Ancient War Tree, her silver hair streaming behind her.

She couldn't see if the figure in the sky wore the signature silver mask of a necromancer, but the voice, and the oppressive air magic radiating from him, were unmistakable. It was the same voice that had led to the burning of the Whispering Forest a year ago, the same presence that had hunted them relentlessly afterward.

She wasn't the only one who recognized it. All the elves who heard Aiden's voice were struck with the same realization.

Aiden had no intention of negotiating. As his shout echoed through the forest, the swirling clouds above him glowed brighter and denser.

From the forest below, it looked like the golden cloud suddenly vanished, replaced by a rain of countless white orbs that spread outward like a fan. These orbs descended like a summer hailstorm, but they didn't fall straight down. Instead, they scattered in a wave, forming a radiant meteor shower aimed at the forest below.

Just as the glowing orbs were about to hit the forest, the giant Ancient War Tree let out a deep, resonant groan, like an ancient titan stirring. A green barrier of light spread across the forest canopy.

The white orbs seemed to fall slowly, their force appearing weak, but as soon as they touched the green barrier, violent explosions erupted.

The destructive power of a single orb wasn't comparable to a Thunderclap Bomb, but three or four together came close. And there were hundreds of these orbs raining down, their combined force equivalent to over a hundred Thunderclap Bombs.

Deafening explosions roared incessantly, merging into a colossal symphony of destruction. Above the Whispering Forest, the flashes of explosions fused into a dazzling sea of light. The ground trembled violently, and the shockwaves even knocked over the mages observing from the forest's perimeter, along with their air elementals. Such overwhelming force led everyone to envision the forest shredded like a tattered screen, riddled with holes and left in utter ruin.

But to everyone's astonishment, when the blinding flashes and thundering booms finally subsided, not a single tree in the forest was damaged—not even the smallest branch showed signs of harm. It was as if the devastating explosions and turbulent air had been nothing more than the detonation of an enormous string of firecrackers.

The forest remained unscathed, not because there was no damage, but because the toll had been borne by others—by the people, and by the trees themselves.

Aside from Ruya herself, no one heard the continuous, mournful groans emanating from the Ancient War Tree during the deafening explosions. These were the cries of its internal structure fracturing and breaking apart. The Ancient War Tree was still in its growth phase, and the overwhelming magical explosions it had to fend off were far beyond what it could endure—like forcing an underage child to bear the weight of several hundred kilograms. Many branches, still in the midst of growing, withered instantly and fell away.

Ruya also heard a sound emanating from within her own body—the sound of blood vessels and nerves bursting under the strain of the overwhelming magical force. Her mouth opened, and a large mouthful of blood splattered onto the altar. Her face had turned as pale as paper, while crimson blood seeped from her nostrils, the corners of her eyes, and her ears.

With great effort, she picked up the World Tree Leaf and placed it against her body. The green radiance of the leaf immediately enveloped her, and the injuries within her body began to heal slowly.

It was so close—just a bit more, and the energy she had exerted to maintain the magical shield would have torn her apart completely. If there had been even a dozen more of those lightning spheres in the previous storm, she would never have had the chance to grab the World Tree Leaf to heal herself.

Most of the elves were still in shock from the massive explosion that had just occurred. They could all sense that the violent magical energy contained within that blast above their heads had been powerful enough to level half the forest.

 "Well done," Aiden said with a grim smile, his weathered face twitching. He hadn't expected the Ancient War Tree to withstand his ultimate spell, Falling Stars. He had believed it would be more than enough.

However, he could also sense that the magical fluctuations and elemental energy of the Ancient War Tree had completely diminished after the previous clash. With a wave of his hands, he unleashed two Thunderclap Bomb. His body swayed unsteadily in mid-air—his earlier Falling Stars spell had nearly drained all of his magical energy, and casting these two Thunderclap Bomb almost cost him the ability to maintain his flight spell.

However, these two Thunderclap Bomb were more than enough. The lightning-wreathed orbs roared through the air, flying in two directions. This time, there were no barriers to block them. One struck the edge of the forest, while the other landed directly in the elven residential area where they had gathered.

The explosions tore through the earth and trees. Splinters, dirt, and shattered wood erupted like a geyser. Elves caught in the blasts were obliterated, their bodies reduced to fragments that rained down like blood-soaked confetti. Cries of pain and terror echoed through the forest.

As blood was spilled and lives were lost, Aiden's grim satisfaction deepened. Once blood was drawn, negotiations would always become simpler.

"It's the necromancer! Everyone, prepare to fight!" shouted Kaylin, the elven patrol leader, as she emerged from beneath the Ancient War Tree, her black longbow in hand.

"All Pegasus knights, engage the mages! Archers, follow me!" she commanded.

Kaylin's once composed and heroic demeanor was now distorted by fury. Her eyes burned with rage, bloodshot as she glanced at the scene of destruction. She had clearly seen how the elves caught in the Thunderclap Bomb were obliterated, their bodies torn to shreds.

Kaylin's sharp eyes had clearly captured the grisly scene—how those elves had been torn apart by the Thunderclap Bomb. Her fists clenched tightly around her bow as she turned toward the other explosion site. "Over there," she hissed, her voice trembling with anger. "This time, I swear I'll take their lives!"