The Witch Needs No Pity

"The game rules are simple," Eugenia said, jumping down from Claw's head and walking up to Vivian.

She tilted the young girl's chin slightly with her hand, as if examining a work of art.

After a careful appraisal.

Eugenia turned and walked away, saying as she went:

"Since you were so obedient and told me your name, I won't bully you just because I'm stronger. If you can withstand five of my attacks, I'll not only let you go and stop this ritual, but I'll also give you a great gift."

As she spoke, the woman walked over to the rows of subordinates kneeling before her, the followers of the Fire God Cult.

Then she turned around, stared into Vivian's eyes, and snapped her fingers lightly.

Poof!

Poof! Poof! Poof!

The Fire God Cult followers kneeling in the first row all exploded simultaneously, as if bombs had detonated inside them. Flesh and blood flew everywhere, and they couldn't have been deader.

This cruel and ruthless act, directed at their own teammates, not only startled the two players who had followed Vivian, intending to spectate, but also made Liao Zixuan's eyelids twitch.

Ruthless.

So ruthless!

Look at what a real Witch is like!

"If you can pass the test, I will help you eliminate all the cult members who have seen you today, know about you, and are present here."

"This way, you won't have to fear the Fire God Cult coming after you for revenge later."

"How is it, are you satisfied with this gift of mine? Vivian?"

Eugenia spoke as if it were a trivial matter.

What was even more chilling was that the cult members kneeling before the woman, despite clearly hearing their Bishop say she would kill them, and even witnessing her carry out the threat, showed no reaction at all.

Oh, it wasn't that there was no reaction; their bodies just trembled more violently, they knelt deeper, and their heads bowed lower.

They dared not resist Eugenia, or perhaps, they were unable to resist.

"Alright, I accept," Vivian nodded, and the young girl took a step forward alone.

She assumed a defensive stance, mobilizing all her magic to erect a magic barrier. Against an enemy of this caliber, Vivian wouldn't hold back anymore.

However, upon seeing the girl's appearance, Eugenia's lips curved into a strange smile, and a playful, expectant expression appeared on her face.

"Are you ready? Here we go, 3... 2..."

When the woman counted to two, she suddenly waved her hand in a certain direction.

Vivian, whose attention had been drawn, subconsciously glanced in that direction. But in the next breath, her expression instantly changed.

The position Eugenia indicated was the large iron cage where the foreigners, the players from Chang Lu Man Man's group who were in the beta test, were being held.

And at this moment, the rope holding the iron cage, which was suspended from the rock wall, was cut by one of Eugenia's Fire God Cult followers.

Swish!

The iron cage, instantly losing its support, began to plummet from mid-air at a rapid speed.

But directly below the cage was a lava brazier that Eugenia had prepared, filled with scorching, terrifying molten lava.

It could be said that if the cage were allowed to fall like this, everyone inside would die gruesomely, consumed by roaring flames, melted into nothingness by the intense heat of the lava.

"F*ck your mother!"

"You f*cking b*stard!!"

"May your entire family of female b*stards f*ck themselves to death!!!" Chang Lu Man Man, inside the cage, turned into a furious verbal assailant.

Even as the cage plummeted and he experienced the intense sensation of weightlessness, he didn't forget to curse Eugenia's entire female lineage, including Eugenia herself.

However, apart from him, the other players in the cage were not so lighthearted.

Many screamed in terror, their legs turned to jelly, their faces filled with fear. Some of the weaker ones were already crying for their mothers.

Don't think this is too far-fetched.

While this was just a game for the players, remember that this was a 100% immersive, realistic experience. For everyone involved, it was equivalent to experiencing it firsthand.

Imagine being pushed off a multi-story building with a scorching lava pit waiting below. Even knowing it's all fake, it would still scare you half to death.

Just as Chang Lu Man Man prepared himself for a noble death, and many other timid players had already closed their eyes, awaiting their gruesome fate—

Clang!

Screech—

A harsh sound, like an emergency brake, echoed through the cave den.

Chang Lu Man Man and the dozen or so players in the cage suddenly discovered with surprise that the sensation of weightlessness had disappeared.

"W-what's happening?" Many players who had their eyes closed opened them in confusion, only to see that their entire cage was now enveloped in a layer of azure energy from the outside.

"Boss, look! It's that new female NPC!" A subordinate of Chang Lu Man Man excitedly patted his boss's shoulder and pointed in Vivian's direction.

But as soon as he finished speaking, he was severely beaten by Chang Lu Man Man.

"What do you mean, 'new female NPC'?! What female NPC! How can you talk like that! Do you have any manners or basic decency? Didn't you hear her introduce herself earlier? Vivian, Miss Vivian!"

More and more players inside the iron cages noticed the commotion around the young girl.

The girl, who had been using both hands to maintain the Magic Shield with all her might, now separated another hand. It shimmered with magical energy as she aimed it towards the iron cages where the players were.

It was obvious.

Vivian had diverted her magic to forcibly stop the iron cage falling from mid-air and was continuously channeling magic to keep the cage suspended, saving them.

A goddess!!

So strong, my goddess!

"Did you guys start recording?!"

"Did you get it recorded! Did you get it recorded!!"

"This is precious video material of my goddess, so even if I die, make sure you record it properly!!"

If this were an anime, Liao Zixuan's eyes would surely have two little stars in them. After all, who doesn't like a hero saving the damsel in distress? Of course, the reverse is also true.

However, the excitement of being noticed by the goddess hadn't even faded before the situation took a sharp turn, and the players' relieved hearts were once again suspended in anxiety.

Because…

". One!" The countdown from Bishop Eugenia's mouth ended precisely at that moment.

Giving Vivian no chance to catch her breath.

A spear burning with flames condensed in the air above Eugenia's head.

"Great Fire God, I beseech you, gather all the sharpness of this world and forge it with the flames into the Flame Spear Technique!" After a brief incantation, Eugenia lightly pointed her finger at Vivian.

Buzz!

The fiery spear floating above the woman's head sliced through the air. It was like being thrown by the fiercest warrior, smashing into Vivian's Magic Shield at an incredibly high speed.

BOOM—

The Flame Spear exploded. The collision of their magic seemed to make the entire underground lair tremble. The Flame Spear Technique was a true Tier 2 spell, its power far exceeding any attack Vivian had encountered before.

And, most critically, the young girl was currently multitasking, with a significant portion of her magic being used to maintain the large iron cage holding the players suspended in the air, preventing them from falling into the molten lava pit.

"Cough, cough, cough…" Vivian coughed up blood for the first time.

Her Magic Shield, now cracked like a spiderweb from the Flame Spear, was still standing, albeit precariously. Vivian was working hard to repair it.

"It seems I still underestimated you." Even though she knew Vivian likely possessed terrifying magical talent, Eugenia's face still showed surprise.

To block a Tier 2 spell with only a recently advanced Tier 1 profession, and this was while the opponent was multitasking!

However…

"Heh, naive." The woman's expression gradually shifted to one of obsessive madness.

"Since you want to be a Witch, I, as your elder, will give you your first lesson." Eugenia sneered softly at Vivian, who still hadn't abandoned the players.

"A Witch… needs no mercy!"

A terrifying aura surged from Eugenia, as if all the elements in the entire cavern were being mobilized. Dense, mysterious runes converged on the woman.

Just the initial display of power surpassed the scope of a Tier 2 spell.

There was no doubt.

This was…

The peak of power achievable by a "mortal" before undergoing the "Extraordinary Breakthrough" at level 40.

A Tier 3 magic!