“She is already dead.”
Sefina’s voice was devoid of even a single ripple. She continued to repeat her previous statement as if she were merely reading a cold experimental report.
She ignored Feliel’s suddenly pale face and continued her cruel, calm narration: “Although this girl’s body is being preserved from decay by some kind of power, her heart stopped long ago, and her breathing has ceased. You should know better than anyone that her current state is, in essence…”
“Shut up!” Feliel suddenly let out a suppressed roar of anger, forcibly interrupting Sefina’s unfinished words.
Feliel’s chest began to heave violently. Her knuckles turned white from the excessive force with which she gripped her wand, and a surge of indignant fire churned in her eyes behind her glasses.
She knew. In the depths of her heart, she had always known that Campbell’s life had long since been extinguished like a candle in the wind.
No matter how miraculous the magic or how forbidden the demon tool, she had never heard of anything that could truly reverse life and death or reclaim a soul from the Netherworld.
Feliel was merely relying on the potions provided by the Deputy, which contained an eerie power, to forcibly maintain Campbell’s physical body and create the illusion that she was still ‘sleeping.’ She used this to numb herself, gaining a sliver of false comfort within this self-woven lie.
‘Yes, Campbell is really dead. She’s never coming back.’
Sefina watched Feliel, whose emotions were clearly out of control and on the verge of collapse.
Her own emotions remained undisturbed, and her tone was flat to the point of being nearly cruel as she continued her persuasion: “So, leave [Black Utopia]. They cannot give you the miracle you desire.”
However, immersed in immense grief and the anger of having her scars exposed, Feliel snapped her head up. A glint of fury and ruthlessness flashed in her eyes as she shot back.
“And if I say no? Will you kill me here?” Feliel’s voice carried the desperation of someone with nothing left to lose.
At that moment, Sefina’s expression remained calm, but a firm will radiated from her wine-red eyes. Without any hesitation, she uttered a single, crystal-clear word:
“Yes.”
The air seemed to freeze completely at that moment. Feliel understood then that words had become meaningless; a battle was now inevitable.
She no longer intended to flee. Instead, she took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her churning emotions. Her gaze became cold and focused once more as she spoke icily: “Then come!”
Even though she admitted deep down that Sefina’s words were likely the truth, she refused to give up even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance of hope.
[Black Utopia] possessed many forbidden technologies — ancient magic, mysterious demon tools, and various bottled potions.
Furthermore, the organization itself was collecting all sorts of ancient magic and demon tools.
Perhaps, one day in the future, there really would be some magic or demon tool that could revive Campbell.
For that minuscule possibility, Feliel was willing to gamble everything, even if it meant continuing to be used by the organization!
Today, this small attic might be inconvenient, but she knew that between them, only one was destined to leave alive.
***
In a remote forest outside the capital city.
The moonlight was fragmented by the dense canopy, barely managing to cast a few mottled spots of light onto the forest clearing.
The surroundings were silent. Even the chirping of insects seemed intimidated by some invisible pressure and had vanished.
Only the rustling of the night wind passing through the leaves remained, leaving behind a sense of depth and desolation.
This place was far from human habitation, making it an ideal location to settle personal grudges.
Neither Sefina nor Feliel wanted to fight within the capital city and attract the attention of the patrol team; that would be unnecessary trouble for both sides.
Currently, the two stood facing each other with a distance of about ten meters between them. Their gazes collided in the air as if they could strike invisible sparks.
Without any redundant words, they raised their wands almost at the same time!
A massive amount of mana surged from their bodies in an instant.
The surrounding air began to warp and tremble, and an invisible pressure diffused outward with the two as the center, blowing the fallen leaves on the ground and the low shrubs in the forest.
Feliel attacked first! She knew that her absolute mana intensity might not match her opponent’s, so she had to seize the initiative.
Her feet shifted slightly, and her wand swiftly tapped the ground. Several small Elemental Spell Arrays emitting a dark glow surfaced in front of her instantly!
It was summoning magic. Accompanied by low growls, several Shadow Wolves composed entirely of dense Shadow Energy lunged from the arrays.
The wolves were lithe and sturdy, their fangs and claws shimmering with a cold light as their crimson eyes locked onto Sefina.
Soon, the pack kicked off the ground, pouncing toward Sefina like arrows released from a bow as she rapidly sketched an Elemental Spell Array.
Their speed was so great they left only blurred afterimages in the air.
Facing the aggressively pouncing summons, not a trace of panic appeared on Sefina’s face.
She did not even move her feet. She simply thrust her ice-blue wand forward slightly, and the Magic Array Pattern was immediately outlined before her.
In an instant, violent fire elements gathered and erupted like a flood breaking through a dam.
fifth-rank magic — [Crimson Flame Storm]
*Boom!*
The scorching flames acted like a sudden surge of angry waves, sweeping forward while carrying surging mana.
The orange-red wave of fire instantly swallowed the pouncing Shadow Wolves, and the extreme heat consumed the bodies of the summoned creatures.
The Shadow Wolves did not even have time to let out a howl before they were distorted and dissipated within the violent flames, turning into wisps of black smoke and eventually vanishing completely.
The flame storm then slowly dissipated, leaving only charred marks on the ground and the scent of ozone and scorching heat lingering in the air.
Sefina walked calmly out of the fading embers. Her petite figure looked exceptionally clear under the moonlight, her clothes clean and untouched by a single speck of dust.
This attack was merely a tentative clash between the two, and neither had used their full strength.
However, Feliel’s expression was much more somber than Sefina’s. After just one exchange, she clearly felt the gap between them in pure mana quality and casting speed.
Sefina’s control over the fire element and her effortless posture all demonstrated her profound foundation as a Seventh Tier Mage.
‘As expected, she holds the absolute advantage in magic intensity.’
Feliel felt a chill in her heart, but she did not lose courage. Instead, her gaze grew sharper.
This was because Feliel believed that since she was proficient in both summoning magic and elemental magic, her tactics were more varied than Sefina’s.
If it came to a true fight to the death, she might not necessarily lose by relying on a combination of tactics and magic!
Feliel took a deep breath and raised her wand again. More complex and intricate Magic Array Patterns began to echo around her.
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