Let Me Handle This!

"Dual Blade Pierce!"

At the very front of the formation, Lu Qiming saw the army of monsters charging toward him and immediately picked up speed. He swung the Divine Judgment down with both hands, crossing his arms.

A sword beam wreathed in terrifying killing intent shot forward. The crossing blades carved through the earth, leaving deep, bottomless gashes. Every monster in their path was instantly cut to pieces.

"Charge! Keep up with Qiming!"

Seeing the path Lu Qiming had opened in an instant, Gareth swung his giant axe and roared as he followed.

"Wait, come back!"

Suddenly, Finn, standing beside Riveria, shouted and stopped everyone as they charged toward the Corrupted Spirit.

Lu Qiming and the others halted at once and returned to Finn without hesitation. Even Lu Qiming didn't question Finn's decision. He trusted Finn's judgment!

"My thumb keeps throbbing. Something's coming!"

Finn spoke before anyone could ask.

"Roar, O Earth!"

At that moment, the Corrupted Spirit in the distance twisted its face into a bizarre, sinister smile. A massive, dark-purple Magic Circle spread beneath her in an instant.

"An incantation?"

Looking at the enormous Magic Circle, Ais felt a chill of fear. If they hadn't retreated just now and had taken that attack head-on, they would have been badly injured, if not killed.

"Come, come, come.

The shell of the earth, the glimmer of black iron, the divine punishment of the stars.

Reverse it through the covenant of creation."

"A monster can chant spells? No way!"

Tione stared at the Corrupted Spirit in disbelief. How could a monster possibly chant a spell?

"And it's an extremely long incantation, too?"

Riveria looked toward the Corrupted Spirit, puzzled. Why was she using such a long incantation now? Hadn't she seen Lu Qiming wipe out half of the New Species Monsters with a single attack just moments ago?

"Riveria, set up a Barrier!"

Finn suddenly noticed something and shouted.

"Lefiya, help Qiming stop the enemy's incantation. Ais, Bete, Tiona, protect Riveria with me!"

"Right!"

"Got it!"

The monsters Lu Qiming had cut down to half their number now attacked them in a frenzy. More and more monsters appeared around them, joining the assault.

"Dance, O spirit of the atmosphere, Lord of Light.

Make a covenant with the guardian of the forest."

Beside them, Riveria immediately began her incantation.

"Lefiya, attack with me!"

Lu Qiming shouted and leapt into the air. After charging up the Divine Judgment, he swung it down at the Corrupted Spirit, sending a solid-looking blade of energy flying from the weapon.

"Rain of Fire Arrows!"

Below, a crimson Magic Circle appeared behind Lefiya. Dozens of flaming arrows followed close behind Lu Qiming's attack.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The powerful attacks raised clouds of black smoke around the Corrupted Spirit.

When the smoke cleared, the Corrupted Spirit's body was revealed, wrapped in petals. The petals, once pink, had turned purple and glimmered with magical light. They opened, revealing the Corrupted Spirit inside, completely unharmed.

"That didn't work at all?"

Lefiya stared at the Corrupted Spirit in disbelief.

"Tch! I knew it'd be tough without activating 'Musou'!"

Lu Qiming landed beside Lefiya and kicked apart a Man-eating Flower Monster that had just poked its head out, ready to attack her.

"Thank you, Qiming!"

"It's nothing."

Lu Qiming waved her thanks aside and looked at the Corrupted Spirit, who had begun chanting again. It was too late to activate 'Musou' now, but the Corrupted Spirit wouldn't get another chance to cast a spell—not even with 'High-Speed Incantation'!

"Shatter the sky, smash the earth, raise a bridge, become heaven and earth.

The sky's axes rain down like a storm, a calamity of destruction."

Behind them, Riveria's incantation grew faster once more.

"Let the song of the earth embrace us and surround us.

Become a vast barrier of forest light, protect us. My name is Alf!"

As Riveria chanted, the Corrupted Spirit's incantation across from them grew louder and louder.

"By the name of the emissary, I command.

The name bestowed upon me is [Earth Spirit].

Incarnation of the earth, queen of the earth!"

"Everyone, get inside Riveria's Barrier!"

Finn shouted after spearing through the New Species Monster in front of him. He and the others retreated to Riveria's side.

"Meteor Swarm!"

"Via Sillheim!"

The two spells were completed at the same time. A golden Barrier instantly covered the group overhead, while countless golden Magic Circles hovered around Lu Qiming and the others, protecting them.

Across from them, the purple-black Magic Circle that had been beneath the Corrupted Spirit now appeared in the sky above her. Countless blazing meteors hurtled toward them.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The enormous meteors battered the Barrier one after another. The golden Barrier immediately began to shake violently as Riveria tightened her grip on her staff and struggled to maintain it.

"The Barrier's shaking!"

"Hold on, Riveria!"

"I know!"

Riveria gritted her teeth and did everything she could to keep the Barrier stable.

A few minutes later, the meteors finally stopped pounding the Barrier.

"Has it stopped?"

Tiona looked uncertainly beyond the Barrier. The ground around them had vanished. Everything outside its protection had become a field of craters, with crimson flames still burning inside them.

"So this is the power of a spirit."

Lefiya gazed at the ravaged landscape beyond the Barrier, her expression darkening. If Riveria's Barrier hadn't held just now, then they—

"How arrogant. Now it's our turn!"

Bete paid no heed to the land destroyed by the Corrupted Spirit's magic. He glared at her in the distance and started toward the edge of the Barrier.

"Wait, Bete!"

"Huh?"

"It's not over yet!"

Finn raised his throbbing thumb.

"What!"

Bete glanced at Finn's twitching thumb, then hurriedly looked toward the Corrupted Spirit outside.

Across from them, the Corrupted Spirit smiled cruelly, spreading her arms as if embracing the sky. She began chanting again.

"Burst forth, flames.

Burn, burn, burn.

Tornado of flames, barrier of crimson lotuses, roar of inferno.

With the power of the gale, seal the world.

Set the sky ablaze, set the earth ablaze, set the sea ablaze..."

"So fast!"

Hearing the speed of the Corrupted Spirit's incantation, Lefiya couldn't help exclaiming.

"Is it coming again? She only just cast such a huge spell!"

Gareth stared in shock at the Corrupted Spirit, surrounded by a crimson Magic Circle. This completely defied common sense!

"Riveria, let me handle this!"

As soon as Lu Qiming finished speaking, his body became a shadow as he shot out of the Barrier.

Across from him, the Corrupted Spirit glanced at Lu Qiming as he charged out of the Barrier and smiled disdainfully. Her incantation sped up again.

"This is a salute of anger and lament, paid for with the life of the hero I love.

By the name of the emissary, I command.

The name bestowed upon me is [Fire Spirit].

Incarnation of fire, queen of fire!

Fire Storm!"

The instant the Corrupted Spirit finished chanting, purple-black flames surged toward Lu Qiming like a tsunami. The terrifying heat turned everything in their path into magma.

"Musou, Thunder Blade Shadow: Modified!"

As he charged forward at high speed, Lu Qiming calmly watched the oncoming purple-black flames. Lightning surged around him, and the Divine Judgment transformed into a forty-meter blade of lightning as he charged straight into them.

Seeing how tired Dai Dai must be after climbing mountains all day and working so hard, yet still keeping up with updates, I'm sure you all can spare some recommendation tickets and monthly passes! (*▽*)