“Clang!”
A golden and dark red sword-light shimmered.
Niubao leapt forward and struck vertically with her blade, cleaving the massive fireball in two in an instant.
The fireball’s magical core was severed, dispersing into two harmless clouds of flame mist and a couple of weak shockwaves.
With Samimi’s support, Niubao shattered the massive fireball right in its face. Though the fiery mist splashed over her, she didn’t feel the slightest discomfort.
AnotherRandomStringWithNumbers1234567890“Tranquility Spell.”
Even the minor shockwaves were completely nullified by Samimi’s calming enchantments.
And besides, Niubao’s physical constitution was far from ordinary—thick-skinned, iron-fleshed, born with monstrous strength. Tiny shockwaves had zero effect on her.
This moment left the watching crowd of mage apprentices in stunned silence.
Hundreds of mages, and not a single one dared to exhale loudly—much less comment as they had moments earlier.
Because they realized they couldn’t understand the principle behind the Penitent Nun’s spellwork at all. They didn’t dare to analyze it, didn’t dare to speak recklessly.
“It’s not over! It’s not over! Take this!”
Red Lion, now beyond the capacity for reason, bellowed:
“Chain Fireballs!”
One after another, perfect fireballs formed above his head, floating motionless in midair. The tension from their impending barrage was suffocating.
“No, it’s already over.”
The Penitent Nun murmured coldly, stepping left.
At the same time, Niubao moved right.
The two of them suddenly spread out, flanking Red Lion from either side.
And with just this simple repositioning, Red Lion began to feel something was very, very wrong. His scalp tingled. Cold sweat streamed down like someone had dumped water on his head.
His original plan was to saturate the entire area with a fireball barrage—blow both of them away.
But now, with the nun and orc nun splitting left and right, he could only target one of them.
His spell strategy had been completely seen through. They didn’t even need to fight back with spells—he was being played like a fool.
The Chain Fireball spell could only bombard one target effectively. Dividing it would only weaken the damage, failing to defeat either one.
But if he targeted only one person, he would leave his back completely exposed—a guaranteed opening for a fatal attack.
And now that the spell had been activated, just keeping the fireballs hovering in midair was draining his mana.
He was committed. No backing out now.
“Heretical magic! You’re a heretic mage! I’ll never accept this!”
In desperation, Red Lion pointed at Samimi, sending all the floating fireballs raining down upon her.
A terrifying bombardment, like a meteor shower. On a tiny arena like this, there was no room to dodge—it was a guaranteed hit. She’d have to tank the damage.
Red Lion’s decision was textbook logic.
In team fights, always nuke the support healer first. That was common knowledge.
The orc nun was covered head to toe in defensive buffs, with a Magic Shield and an enchanted golden sword. One salvo of Chain Fireballs might not be enough to take her down.
But the Penitent Nun? She was slender and fragile, the source of all magic. If she went down, or if her spellcasting was interrupted, then the orc nun would burn out immediately.
Red Lion’s judgment was spot-on. He hadn’t been fooled by strange tricks or crooked magic logic.
All he needed to do was take out the Penitent Nun—and he’d turn the tables. Restore the glory of the Fire School!
But fantasy is a beautiful lie, and reality is cruel.
Because the moment of despair… still came.
“Wall of Thorns.” (Technically still a Magic Shield.)
Samimi stood calmly, hands in her pockets, as a thorny magical wall—constructed from rose-colored mana—rose before her.
And that wasn’t all. Her lips moved softly, chanting under her breath.
A subtle red glow lit up around her body—an effect from Fire Resistance Boost.
“!?”
Red Lion’s expression contorted. Ugly didn’t begin to describe it.
Had he… bet wrong?
He whipped around to look at the orc nun.
Niubao had already launched herself at full speed, enchanted golden sword in hand, now appearing behind him in a blur—only a dark red arc of sword-light marking her path through the air.
But the real terror?
She was still covered in a Magic Shield.
The Penitent Nun’s Magic Shield hadn’t replaced Niubao’s. They were stacked.
Double Magic Shields.
“How!? How can this be happening!? I’m the Red Lion, star of the Fire School’s new generation! I can’t lose!”
Red Lion shrieked in hysteria. Now he understood: no matter who he targeted, he would lose. From the beginning, he’d never stood a chance.
“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!”
The fireballs struck the thorny Magic Wall, exploding into nothing but flame debris. They didn’t even budge the shield.
As for Samimi herself, safe behind the wall? Not a single ripple of energy reached her.
“Niubao—Acceleration.”
Samimi was so relaxed she even had time to cast another buff.
“Clang!”
A flash of golden light struck first—Niubao’s pinpoint assault. Her golden sword pierced straight through Red Lion’s fire shield.
His Magic Shield shattered like a brittle eggshell beneath the orc nun’s enchanted blade.
Defense was a known weakness for Fire Mages. Their shields were subpar.
What they excelled at was offense—burst damage, overwhelming power, destruction. But you can’t have everything. No elemental affinity is perfect.
Too bad for Red Lion… Samimi had a fortress-grade rose shield, specifically designed to counter explosive flame magic.
However, Niubao’s charge didn’t outright finish the fight. It only pierced a hole in Red Lion’s defense—no instant knockout.
He was, after all, the Vice President of the young Fire School generation. He still had some skill.
“Hahaha! I haven’t lost yet! I won’t lose to heretical dark magic! I’ll never be defeated by a lowly half-orc!”
Red Lion let out a wild, maniacal laugh. He still thought he had a shot.
That hope didn’t survive the next second.
“Your character writing is way too flat and one-dimensional. As a character, I’m giving you… a zero.”
That was what the Penitent Nun whispered, full of murderous intent and cryptic mockery.
Red Lion turned his head in horror.
Samimi had dropped all her defensive buffs.
AnotherRandomStringWithNumbers1234567890“Charge Up.”
AnotherRandomStringWithNumbers1234567890“Acceleration.”
AnotherRandomStringWithNumbers1234567890“Divine Judgement.”
AnotherRandomStringWithNumbers1234567890“Sharpen Blade.”
AnotherRandomStringWithNumbers1234567890“Pierce Boost.”
AnotherRandomStringWithNumbers1234567890“Strength Enhancement.”
AnotherRandomStringWithNumbers1234567890“Weapon Enchantment.”
Samimi slowly crouched down, initiating a chain of hero-exclusive offensive buffs. She reached behind her to grasp the demon-slaying sword on her back, preparing to draw it in one clean motion.
AnotherRandomStringWithNumbers1234567890“Enchantment: Phantom Rose Sword.”
Of course, she wouldn’t skip her one offensive spell—the finishing touch.