Luring the Prey

The elves launched another attack.

When Mobius received the news from the refugees, he was clearly very surprised. He had thought that after severely injuring the elven mage, the elves' invasion would be temporarily halted, giving him enough time to organize his forces to resist the elven invasion. But he did not expect that the elves would reorganize their offensive so quickly.

Could it be that the elven mage recovered so quickly?

When Mobius asked the refugees about this question, he received a completely different answer.

Although it was indeed a female mage who led the elves in attacking the town again, she was not an elf, but a human.

Humans?

Hearing this, Mobius was somewhat surprised. A human female mage? Could it be that the ruler of that Magic Empire had appeared? However, this seemed different from the rumors. So, who exactly was this female mage? Why was she on the battlefield against humans, and why was she human at that? Although he didn't know the answers to these questions, Mobius had to take action. The enemy's offensive still seemed fierce. If he didn't take effective measures, the elves would likely have already advanced before he could gather his army. This situation had to be avoided. Therefore, after making preparations, Mobius decisively left the rear and returned to the front lines.

Although as a paladin, he doesn't have a wide range of skills at his disposal, he is accompanied by beings who can lay the foundation for victory.

That's enough.

Mobius, back on the front lines, was heavy-hearted. The people had initially felt somewhat relieved after the elves ceased their advance; many had stopped fleeing and remained in place, watching for further developments. Many spirited young men, inspired by Mobius, had joined the army, taking up arms to protect their homes. However, the elves' renewed attack had shattered this brief respite. If he couldn't stop their invasion in time, these people would never be able to return home.

The town he was currently in was the only place along the elven attack route that had not yet fallen. However, when Mobius led his soldiers to the town, it was already deserted. Only the chaotic scene showed that these people had fled their homes in such a panic to escape the danger.

Those wretched elves... just how far will this war go before they're satisfied?!

Mobius gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, gritting his teeth.

However, before that, there was something else that puzzled him as well.

Why would humans assist elves in battle?

However, now is not the time to think about these issues.

"You all go to the lookout post and the library immediately! Observe the surroundings carefully, especially the woods and grasslands. Be vigilant; the elves have much better eyesight than we do! Remember, don't expose yourselves! Lie in ambush through the gaps in the wooden fence! Bury what we brought, and attack as soon as they appear. If they have any mages, leave them to me!"

Mobius quickly issued the order, and the people who received the order quickly dispersed to carry out their tasks. Although they were just farmers and blacksmiths not long ago, they were now working hard to protect their homes and their land from the invasion of outsiders.

Like elves.

"Is that him?"

Kalin pursed her lips as she watched the young paladin in the illusion giving orders.

"Looks like he's just a kid."

"Anna... go... kill him..."

Anna raised her thin arm high, while a violent cough caused her body to sway uncontrollably.

"If it were that simple, Li Lin wouldn't have sent all seven of us together."

As Nia spoke, she manipulated the screen to rotate, carefully observing the longsword at the young knight's waist, seemingly deep in thought.

"It doesn't look like a magical weapon."

Suoxiate spoke after carefully examining the sword.

"This doesn't seem to be the standard level of the Magic Empire... and I don't see any of the Weapon Spirit's distinctive markings either."

As an expert in magical weapon creation, Yi Aier clearly had her own opinions.

Just then, the illusion suddenly fluctuated wildly. Nia frowned, then forcefully shook the staff in her hand.

"Bite!"

With that soft sound, the illusion shattered and vanished, leaving only magical dust shimmering in the air before falling and disappearing.

"We've been discovered."

As she spoke, Nia took two steps forward, and her body began to rise under the power of magic, floating into the air.

"Then, let's proceed according to plan."

As Nia spoke, she gazed at the distant town. Just then, Mobius was also taken aback, for just moments before, the sacred pendant around his neck had suddenly emitted a dazzling light, then seemed to be fighting against something, before the light quickly vanished without a trace.

What happened?

"Someone is using magical powers to spy on us."

Nalu's voice rang out.

"Watch out, the enemy is about to appear."

"I see!"

The young knight nodded, drew his longsword, and then looked warily at the sky. Soon, he spotted the black dot floating in the sky.

Is it there?

Just as Mobius changed his mind, Nia launched her attack.

Bolts of lightning appeared out of nowhere and struck the town below, but they were quickly blocked by the sacred protective barrier and did not have the intended effect.

"Truly divine skill."

Nia stopped her lightning attack and then smiled slightly.

"However, you can't treat me like Nisi, you know?"

As she spoke, Nia raised her staff, and magical power began to gather before her. Then, patches of yellow-green mist appeared on the ground, churning and advancing towards the town, greedily devouring all life that was drawn into them. Under the shroud of the yellow-green mist, the once lush grass gradually turned withered and dry, and even the air became irritating, carrying the pervasive smell of sulfur.

"Cloudkill?"

Upon seeing this yellowish-green cloud, the Glorious Holy Light, who had transformed into human form, subtly changed his expression.

"But I won't let you succeed!"

As Nalu spoke, she opened the holy book in her hand. The pages flipped automatically under an invisible force, then stopped on a particular page. The girl reached out and pressed it down, silently reciting a prayer. Then, white holy light began to condense, transforming into a beam that shot into the deathly mist. Under the impact of the divine power, the mist, radiating death, immediately shattered like a deflated balloon, returning to nothingness.

Be careful, brave warrior.

Nalu's expression was solemn and cautious.

"This is no ordinary mage; she's even more dangerous than that elven mage from before."

"Thank you for the compliment."

The sudden sound startled both of them. When they looked in the direction of the sound, they realized that Nia had appeared in front of them without them noticing. Only then did Mobius truly see the girl before him.

With near-perfect looks and figure, and a faint smile on her face, this girl didn't seem like a dangerous person who used magic at all. However, the mage's robe she wore, shimmering with magical light, and the staff she held clearly told others that she was a mage. But what was most surprising was that she, a mage, had actually appeared so close to the two of them. What was she thinking? Didn't she know that distance was the most important thing for a mage? And... more importantly, just as rumored, the person standing before them wasn't an elf, but a real human.

"It should be said that this is our first meeting... You two, Miss Nisi, thank you for your hospitality. I'm here to return the favor."

Nia's smile remained gentle, and she didn't seem to be about to fight at all. But her words made Mobius frown. He reached out to stop the Nalu who was about to start a fight, stood in front of Nia, and asked in a deep voice.

"Miss Mage, I have a question I'd like to ask you."

Please speak.

Faced with this sudden change, Nia did not react in any way, but instead smiled and made a gesture.

"As a human, why did you help the elves invade our human territory? Why did you help the elves do such a thing?"

"I was merely helping the elves reclaim the land that rightfully belonged to them."

Nia's smile remained unchanged.

"Elves are not a warlike race; they simply want to protect their country and land. It's only humans who possess an insatiable desire for aggression, isn't it?"

"But you're human too, aren't you?"

Faced with the young knight's question, Nisi smiled and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I'm not human."

As she spoke, she raised her staff.

"Careful!"

As the Nalu shouted, a sphere of light condensed by divine magic immediately enveloped Mobius. At the same time, a wave of emerald green light emanated from Nia's staff, spreading outwards in a fan shape. It seemed to have no power, but when it struck the protective shield of divine magic, it easily eliminated its presence. The strongest protection constructed by divine magic did not even last half a second before the green light, completely disappearing into the air.

"Drink it!!"

Since the negotiations had broken down, there was no need for further words. As the protective shield disappeared, Mobius roared and swung his longsword. The sword, enveloped in holy light, thrust forward without hindrance, forcefully cleaving through the green energy fluctuations. It seemed that what had happened to Nisi that day was about to be repeated on Nia, but this time, Mobius's sword failed to reach its target.

A sharp, piercing clang rang out. Mobius felt an immense force surge towards him along the blade. Startled, he quickly shifted his stance, retreating several steps before barely managing to deflect the powerful impact. When he looked up, he saw a red-haired knight standing before Nia. She was the one who had blocked Mobius's deadly attack and barely managed to deflect its force.

How is this possible? You see, the sword Mobius wielded wasn't an ordinary one; how could anyone withstand its immense divine power?

"Your basic skills aren't solid enough; let's start from scratch."

Miu'erkasi snorted and brandished her longsword, a flash of light appearing and disappearing in an instant. Then she stood in front of Nia, quietly and solemnly watching the enemy before her.

Why is there suddenly another person here?

Mobius couldn't understand where this young female knight had come from, or how she had appeared. Was she also a companion of the young female mage before him? Mobius didn't understand magic, but when he looked at Nalu, hoping she could give him some advice, he was surprised to find that this Divine Envoys of the Seven Sages was also frowning, seemingly just like him, completely unable to figure out what was going on.

The situation seems to be developing in a direction that is beyond our control.

Mobius had initially thought that the elves' attack pattern wouldn't be too different from before, but now he realized he was wrong. So far, he hadn't seen a single elf, yet these two suddenly appearing enemies were both human? What was going on? Why were they standing here against him?

"... Who exactly are you people?"

You don't need to know.

Miu'erkasi was clearly unwilling to say more. After saying those words, she immediately transformed into a bolt of lightning, sword and all, and rushed towards the boy in front of her.

The battle begins.

Although there were hundreds of soldiers in the town, they were completely unable to intervene in the battle. Miu'erkasi swept everything like a storm of swords, and Mobius could only struggle to hold on against her raging onslaught. If it weren't for the Nalu casting several blessing spells on him from behind to enhance Mobius strength and speed, he would probably have already fallen to Miu'erkasi's sword.

But Nalu's situation is equally challenging.

Although as one of the Divine Envoys of the Seven Sages, she could unleash divine magic without regard for the cost, Nia didn't allow it to be so easily effective. Whenever Nalu cast a spell, Nia would neutralize it with opposing forces or directly dispel it. Both sides were extremely cautious in their defensive counterattacks, using Mobius and Miu'erkasi as a stage to test Nalu spellcasting skills. Although Nalu also wanted to attack Nia as she had with Nisi, the latter's previous actions forced her to abandon the idea. Moreover, with Mobius fighting so closely, if she used her divine power, he might also be affected. Even if the power of the God of Justice wouldn't harm the knight before her, other powers couldn't guarantee the same. Therefore, Nalu could only suppress her anxiety and focus on the confrontation before her.

In contrast, Nia appeared much more relaxed. Although she seemed very leisurely, her eyes were vigilantly watching the battle unfold before her, silently calculating the timing and opportunity. Capturing these weapons might not be as simple as it seemed, but... given the current situation, it was clearly quite advantageous for her. The one protecting the young knight from behind should be the Divine Envoys of the Seven Sages fought Nisi earlier, but she wasn't unleashing the extraordinary divine power Nisi had sensed. This meant that the other party was obviously hiding their strength; perhaps they simply mistook her for an ordinary mage? However, Nia was confident that she would force them to use their true power.

Even with divine assistance, Mobius could not reverse the disadvantage.

Finally, in a duel with Miu'erkasi, Nia's dispelling spell, cast with precision down to the second, struck the young knight, barely dispelling his blessing. Although the Nalu's divine magic immediately followed, for warriors in the heat of battle, even a second was enough. Sensing the sudden weakening of her opponent's power, Miu'erkasi immediately closed in, forcefully swinging her longsword forward, striking heavily against Mobius's hastily defending blade.

"Bite!"

Without the blessing, Mobius could no longer hold onto his longsword. He felt a tingling sensation in his hand, and even his fingers lost feeling. The longsword was knocked away by the red-haired knight, but Miu'erkasi, who had succeeded, clearly had no intention of stopping. She gripped the sword with both hands and swung it downwards with force, intending to deliver a fatal blow to the enemy in front of her. Then she quickly retreated with her sword, barely managing to block the white light that was thrusting towards her.

The longsword that Miu'erkasi had sent flying into the sky had vanished, replaced by a young woman standing before the young knight, who held a magnificent longsword, protecting her master behind him. Almost simultaneously, Mobius emanated a dazzling light never before seen. Nia immediately sensed it too; an immense, never-before-seen divine power was condensing, gathering, and taking on a new form.

Now!

Nia raised her staff high and then slammed it hard on the ground.

Thousands of magical runes immediately erupted from Nia's staff, forming a perfect circle that enveloped the entire town.

This is precisely the barrier spell that Li Lin likes to use most: Space Isolation.

No one can escape from here by any means.

Now, the cage for hunting down the prey has finally appeared.