Under Ian's conscious guidance, the nature of this battle quietly began to change.
From a simple magical confrontation, it gradually evolved into a difficult dialogue with three polluted, tortured, altered "Hearts of the Earth."
"Purifying Rain!"
By combining Transfiguration and the Summoning Charm, Ian created a gentle area of shifting sand around the Sandstorm Ancient Spirit, trying to make it feel the "flow" and "tolerance" the sea of sand should possess, rather than its current "violence" and "plunder." At the same time, he summoned a fine drizzle containing faint life magic.
It fell upon the heart of the sandstorm.
This rain was not meant to Extinguish Fire. It symbolized the occasional rain in the desert that inevitably brought life, attempting to awaken what lay buried deep within the Spirit of Nature.
That desire to "nurture" rather than "destroy."
The effect was not bad.
It was not exceptionally effective, but at least it was not completely useless.
The Sandstorm Ancient Spirit's movements visibly slowed and became confused once more. The skeletal phantom even swayed slightly, as if two consciousnesses within it were struggling fiercely. Its shriek was no longer pure rage, but mixed with pain, confusion, and even a trace of... barely perceptible emotion.
As though it longed for that "rainwater"?
On the other side, the Swamp Worm's dark breath became thicker, its color deepening to ink-black. The power of soul imprisonment contained within it was almost tangible.
The dark power formed countless pitch-black magical tentacles covered in barbs, once again winding toward Ian from every direction. They sought not only to corrode this Legendary Wizard's body!
They also sought to drag his soul into that endless abyss of suffering!
"Light of Mind!"
Ian instantly laid layer upon layer of invisible barriers around himself, slowing the tentacles' approach. At the same