The Magic Box Monster and the Red Lotus Staff's Pincer Strike

The silver-haired witch Emily watched the distant battle, her eyes flickering rapidly.

A fierce struggle raged within her.

Profit, risk, conscience, survival—stakes of every weight swung wildly on the scales.

Suddenly, she spoke. "Fink, Simon. Take the princess and leave first. I'll help him hold her off."

It was a decision that went against the instinct of "wizardly self-interest."

"Have you lost your mind?!"

The young wizard Fink whipped his head around.

Fear and disbelief contorted his face.

He stared at the silver-haired witch Emily, who had suddenly made this decision, as though she were insane.

To him, this was utterly pointless self-destruction.

"You want to go up there and die with him?

Tracy might not have used even one percent of her strength just now.

That was merely a higher-dimensional being toying with lower-dimensional beings.

Would you use much strength to crush a bug blocking your path?"

It was a cruel analogy, yet it laid bare the coldest reality.

The Third-Ring Wizard named Simon beside him also wanted to dissuade her.

Reason told them that fleeing was the optimal solution under the laws of evolution.

But before he could speak—

An unexpected change erupted.

At that moment, a tremendous roar suddenly burst from the other side.

The sound waves carried an almost tangible impact, making everyone's eardrums ache.

They turned toward the sound and saw that the Giant Magic Box Monster, which everyone had ignored until now, had suddenly begun rampaging for some unknown reason.

A small Golden Magic Box rested atop the Giant Magic Box Monster's head.

That box seemed to be the source of every abnormal change, Pandora's curse.

The magic box was now radiating intense golden light.

There was nothing holy about that light, only a heavy, oppressive metallic quality.

It dyed the entire dark-gold Giant