Chapter 112: Cowled Wizards
Illyas was startled but not panicked, calmly raising her wand, only to find the surrounding mana completely dead silent and extremely difficult to mobilize.
“Magic Immunity!”
To be precise, it was a weakened version of Anti-Magic Domain, not fully suppressing magical effects, as magical items were still functioning.
Anse had no time to think deeply, leaping into the air. While airborne, his hands had already transformed into Dragon Claws, arms crossed, waiting for the metal net to descend before slashing forcefully.
A series of metallic clashing sounds rang out, and the metal net was instantly torn open with a large gap, the layer of magical aura on it shattering accordingly.
“It’s broken!”
“How is that possible—”
Illyas’s voice and that of an unfamiliar man sounded one after another.
Anse activated the King Butterfly Cloak, flapping Butterfly Wings to rush out through the breach.
His Dragon Race transformation was unique; other dragons relied on Strength, but his twin claws added Casting Attribute instead.
A gust of wind came from behind. He turned to look, and Illyas was riding a Flying Carpet in close pursuit, waving her wand as spells rose with the wind. Eight Miniature Meteors rapidly formed, orbiting her continuously and creating bursts of whistling.
‘Quick Cast Fourth-Circle Melf’s Minute Meteors!’ Anse understood.
Illyas’s face was expressionless as she pointed her small wand downward, sending one meteor bursting out below.
“Whoosh—”
The Miniature Meteor whistled sharply toward the crowd, landing on one person’s back in the blink of an eye and exploding with a boom. Flames and shockwaves swept over an area of two or three meters around.
The crowd scattered in panic.
Anse looked at their attire, finding it exceptionally familiar, especially the tactic of starting with Magic Immunity—it felt all too familiar.
He decisively activated「 True Sight Ring」, a wisp of Spiritual Light encircling his eyes, making his gaze immediately clear.
Scanning the surroundings, a blurry Shadow Figure was floating in the air, stealthily approaching the Concentrating Illyas, less than ten meters apart.
‘Damn thing!’
Anse cursed inwardly, silver mist flashing over his body. In the next second, he appeared at Illyas’s side.
“
「Metamagic」+「Metamagic: Quick Cast, Escalate」+「Hold Person」!
Elemental Orb light flashed, and the figure immediately froze in place, its surface light shattering as its body was fully exposed to the air.
【You cast Hold Person on Shadow Thief Master, saving throw difficulty Hard（20）, Shadow Thief Master failed the saving throw!】
Almost the moment the Shadow Thief Master appeared, Illyas adjusted her target, a Miniature Meteor grazing Anse’s body and smashing toward the enemy.
“Whoosh—”
The meteor hit the Shadow Thief square in the chest with a boom, blasting him away, but a semi-transparent shield appeared on him, resulting in minor injury.
“Whoosh—”
A Miniature Meteor detached from the nebula, whistling after him as Illyas rode her Flying Carpet in pursuit.
Anse did not rush to cast, instead using Elemental Resonance’s Flight ability to gain altitude, away from the treetops.
Below, a warrior wearing a Horned Helmet and carrying a Shield leaped onto a tree trunk, body tensing as he hurled the Short Spear in his hand.
“Whoosh—”
Anse calmly looked down, not dodging at all, continuing to gain altitude. The Short Spear flew dozens of meters before exhausting its force and drifting lightly to the ground.
This was the drawback of physical attacks—fired upward, both range and power were greatly reduced.
‘Ninety meters, about right.’
He hovered in place; this distance was relatively safe, with good visibility, and any attack aimed at him had nowhere to hide.
At this moment, the Hold Person spell ended.
He turned to look; Illyas was bombarding the forest below wildly, it seemed the Shadow Thief had hidden.
Anse withdrew his gaze, using Butterfly Wings to stabilize his body as mana surged around him, remotely locking onto the Horned Warrior on the tree trunk.
“
「Metamagic: Empower, Seeking」+「Fireball」!
A bright flash shot from his fingertip, streaking dozens of meters rapidly to appear above the treetops.
The Horned Warrior was prepared, stomping the tree trunk and leaping to the other side, attempting to use the canopy and trunk to block the spell effect.
The flash arced in the air, locking onto him again and chasing right behind.
The Horned Warrior was startled, curling his body midair and facing his back Shield toward the flash.
“Boom—”
Blazing flames engulfed everything, forming a red-yellow Fireball nearly twenty meters across, engulfing several enemies.
Dry branches, fallen leaves, trunks, canopies… all ignited in an instant, flames rising everywhere, enduring and unquenchable, with heatwaves churning endless smoke and fire.
“Ah…”
A few muffled, shrill screams.
【…Cowled Wizards elite warrior takes 21 Fire Damage, current Life 83/104】
【…Shadow Thief elite dies, gain 175 Combat Experience】
Two common professionals died, yet the nearest Horned Warrior was unscathed.
‘Cowled Wizards?’
Anse focused his gaze but could not see the Horned Warrior at all, only a large round Shield buckled to the ground like a Turtle Warrior hiding in its shell.
Seconds later, the large Shield spun forcefully, blowing away the surrounding flames, then lifted straight off the ground, kicking up clouds of dust.
The Shield was held atop it, moving rapidly flat, Anse unable to see the person below at all—not even their feet were exposed.
“Holy crap, Turtle Warrior!”
Clearly, this person had rich experience against spellcasters; simple tactics, yet particularly effective.
Crucially, the large Shield’s material resembled a magical creature’s Turtle Shell—likely soundproof, heat-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and non-conductive.
Wind howled as Illyas rode her Flying Carpet back, several Miniature Meteors orbiting her.
This was probably her second spell.
“Whoosh—”
Illyas showed no intent to retreat, face tense as she chased the Turtle Warrior, hurling meteors.
The Turtle Warrior moved swiftly, using trees and Turtle Shell to block meteor impacts—disheveled but without fatal damage.
Anse stayed above him the whole time, Dice spinning slightly, finally detecting target info:
【Cowled Wizards elite warrior, Half-Orc, 11th-level Warrior（Warrior）】
‘Minute Meteors’ single-target damage is a bit lacking, and it takes Concentration.’
It seemed Illyas was far from recovered to normal casting ability; Third- or Fourth-Circle Spells were probably her limit, or else a single High-Circle Spell could finish the opponent.
Anse scanned around, no sign of the Shadow Thief Master—likely invisible again.
He descended slightly, locking onto the Turtle Warrior, raising his hand for an Escalated Hold Person!
This spell differed from Fear; it took effect immediately upon casting, with no chance to dodge—provided the target was visible; if not, it was just guesswork.
As expected, the Turtle Warrior failed his first Wisdom saving throw, body Paralyzed, collapsing to the ground with his Shield flying off.
The next second, two Miniature Meteors arrived instantly, seamlessly hitting the Turtle Warrior’s torso one after another, flames bursting and smashing his body into the dirt.
“Whoosh—” The third Miniature Meteor came flying.
