Seeing the two noble youths they had lived with over the past few days torn apart by the Sand Scorpions as easily as ripping paper, everyone panicked.
Shouts and murmurs echoed endlessly.
“Stay calm. Follow me to protect Princess Sophia.” Amid the chaos, Kars drew his sword from his waist and took a stance, determined to guard Sophia to the very end.
The two Sand Scorpions in front of them attacked recklessly, cutting down anyone in sight.
Many startled students were swiftly slaughtered like melons being sliced.
And it wasn’t just those two on the ground—many more Sand Scorpions burst out from beneath the earth, swinging their massive pincers upward, piercing through people’s bodies.
“Ssha ssha.”
Ian heard the sounds growing louder underground, as if a Sand Scorpion was right beneath him.
He knew he couldn’t dodge its attack and had no choice but to fight desperately to see if he could defend himself.
He drew his blue-quality longsword and held it before him, alert for the moment a Sand Scorpion would break through the earth.
“Behind you.”
The loud sound of earth breaking echoed behind Ian.
His back was his weakest point defensively, and if the pincers struck him there, he felt certain he would die just like the others.
At the instant he heard the noise, Ian combined his waist and horse stance, spinning quickly.
Just as the Sand Scorpion’s pincers were about to strike, Ian turned fully and swung his sword with all his strength.
“Clang!”
The clash of metal against pincers rang in everyone’s ears, the sheer force proving the Sand Scorpion’s attack was no trivial matter.
The giant pincers pressed down on Ian like Mount Tai.
His hand went numb, and his longsword nearly slipped from his grasp.
If he didn’t do something, he was in grave danger.
Summoning every ounce of strength, Ian forcefully pushed the Sand Scorpion’s pincers away and quickly dashed to Sophia’s side.
Ian believed there was no place safer than beside Sophia right now.
After all, Sophia was one of the original heroines; these small Sand Scorpions should not pose a challenge to her.
The others, like Ian, also swiftly gathered around Sophia.
They formed a semicircle to shield Princess Sophia, trying to fend off the Sand Scorpion onslaught.
“Step aside.” Sophia’s voice was filled with anger.
Seeing so many nobles slaughtered by the Sand Scorpion pincers, she felt deep guilt.
Sophia was the absolute leader of this group, and all faults fell on her shoulders.
Had she detected the danger earlier, the casualties might have been far fewer.
Now Sophia was like an enraged Fire Phoenix, blazing with furious flames.
With each step she took, the air itself seemed to warp with scorching heat, burning the sand beneath her feet.
She paid no heed to Ian or the others; Ian felt as if he were swimming in lava.
Sophia’s fiery red hair whipped through the air, and her blood-red eyes blazed like flowing fire.
Anyone daring to meet her gaze might feel as if struck down by her very look.
Perhaps due to the heat or the fury she radiated, the previously reckless Sand Scorpions—who attacked without hesitation—were for the first time driven back.
“Do you think you can escape?” Sophia raised her hands before her, her voice carrying the unique authority of one above all, crushing any thought of resistance.
A red aura flickered around her, and red light gathered on her palms.
Ian felt the terrifying power contained in Sophia’s petite frame.
The destructive force she wielded was the strongest he had seen in anyone so far.
In an instant, Sophia successfully unleashed her first skill: Red Sky Burning Heavens: Myriad Gods Phoenix Flame.
A fiery phoenix composed entirely of flames shot forth from Sophia’s hands like a released arrow.
Wherever the Fire Phoenix passed, it was as if the world had ended—lifeless and barren.
As the Fire Phoenix swept through the Sand Scorpions, only black dust and fierce flames remained in its wake.
Not a trace of the Sand Scorpions’ former forms could be seen.
The scorching flames ravaged the desert, and Sophia’s skill distorted the surrounding air.
Ian wiped the sweat from his face.
“So this is Sophia’s power?”
Flora had once shown her strength before Ian, but was mercilessly crushed by Serinveia.
Ian knew this was not because Flora was weak but because Serinveia was overwhelmingly strong.
Still, Ian had doubted whether the original heroine’s power was that impressive.
But Sophia’s display dispelled his doubts completely.
“It’s over.” Sophia’s voice fell softly, tinged with sadness, like a fledgling bird who had lost its companions.
“Calculate the casualties.” Sophia pointed directly at Kars with a straightforward command.
“Yes, Princess.” Kars responded immediately.
Without delay, Sophia moved to the side, unwilling to stay where she was.
Ian sensed Sophia’s deep sorrow.
It was understandable—those who died were nobles close to her, likely familiar with her in the kingdom.
To feel no sadness witnessing their deaths before her would be unnatural.
“Princess, you need not be too sorrowful. In the Holy Trial, we do not truly die.” Ian considered carefully before offering his comfort.
“I know.” Sophia’s reply was brief, tinged with melancholy.
She wasn’t eager to talk now and just wanted to be alone.
Ian tactfully prepared to leave her side.
Just as he was about to take a step toward the distance, a stronger tremor came from underground.
“Get out of the way!” Ian shouted urgently to Sophia, sensing a greater danger.
“It’s too late.” Ian saw a Sand Scorpion ten times larger than the others—the King of Sand Scorpions—suddenly appear behind Sophia.
Ian knew that if Sophia were killed, none of them could stand against the Sand Scorpion King.
He struggled even against the ordinary Sand Scorpions—how could he possibly handle one ten times their size?
Moreover, Ian still owed Sophia a favor.
Saving her now would be repaying that debt.
“I must save Sophia.” That was Ian’s instant resolve.
Since only Ian was close enough to Sophia, he was the only one who could intercept the Sand Scorpion King before it struck her.
Ian leapt and appeared behind Sophia, raising his blue-quality longsword to confront the enormous pincers of the Sand Scorpion King.
But how could Ian, already barely holding off ordinary Sand Scorpions, resist the attack of this colossal foe?
In a flash, Ian’s grip on his sword failed, and a shattering pain swept through his entire body.
“Am I going to die?” Though no one truly died in the Holy Trial, the sensation of death was very real.
Darkness enveloped Ian’s vision, and his body collapsed weakly to the ground.
Strangely, Ian’s body didn’t transform into white light and vanish like the others.
The scene shifted, and when Ian opened his eyes again, he was not in the Saint Roland Magic Academy plaza but in a mysterious space.
Before him sat a young girl elegantly sipping tea on a sofa.
Ian recognized her—the girl carved on that stone tablet—with pink twin tails and a pale pink dress.
The girl set down her teacup and looked at Ian, her pink eyes sparkling.
“Long time no see, Ian. How have you and Lillian been?”
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