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A blue magic circle appeared out of thin air at the top of the volcano, and a figure gradually materialized from it.
It was Erika.
Without interrupting the magic formation, she had simultaneously extended its casting range.
Undeniably, this was the most effective method she could think of at the moment.
The greatest difference between a Tier Three Mage and a Tier Four Mage when using teleportation magic was the disparity in mana reserves.
And mana reserves determined the teleportation distance.
Erika took a sip of her potion, recovering some mana, barely managing to cast a teleportation circle with sufficient range.
Now, she had arrived at the volcano’s summit.
Before her lay the crater.
The temperature at the peak was already unbearable for humans. As soon as Erika set foot on the ground, the scorching heat caused her head to throb painfully.
Had she not preemptively cast some fire-resistant magic, she would likely have fainted instantly in this extreme heat.
She patted her chest, looking down at the ground with lingering fear.
Pressing her hands together, a white magic circle began to spin in her palms, emitting wisps of cold air.
She cast the spell upon herself, barely managing to maintain a stable body temperature.
Only after completing these precautions did Erika finally survey her surroundings.
There was nothing nearby.
Only the crater, which appeared as if it had just erupted, with the surrounding rocks glowing red-hot like freshly forged iron.
The heat distorted the very air.
Erika had hoped to find answers atop the summit, but the reality before her was far from what she desired.
The oppressive heat made her dizzy, and a wave of exhaustion washed over her entire body.
“No… I might need to leave this place.”
She still had enough mana to teleport away, even if only to descend partway down the mountain. It was better than standing here.
Her hands glowed faintly as a magic circle began to form.
Suddenly, Erika’s heart clenched violently.
The newly formed spell instantly dissipated.
A low, mournful wail echoed from within the volcano’s depths.
It was as if the pain resonated directly with Erika’s heart, causing her to collapse to her knees, unable to endure it.
Her legs, pressed against the scalding ground, instantly suffered severe burns.
“What… is happening…”
Erika barely managed to squeeze out a few words. It felt as though something was constricting her heart, filling her with unbearable agony.
The sorrowful wail, audible only to her, continued.
In her daze, the volcano trembled violently, and a towering column of lava erupted from the crater.
The slow-flowing, molten rock looked to Erika like the volcano’s very lifeblood, spewed forth in pain.
And now, it was about to become the blade that claimed her life.
Erika gritted her teeth.
In the face of impending death, she made a swift decision.
She channeled the last of her mana into a barrier, separating herself from the encroaching lava.
She didn’t want to die—not like this, not so meaninglessly, not so helplessly.
Yet, her dwindling magic reserves could barely sustain the shield.
Lava seeped through the weakening barrier, inching toward Erika’s legs.
Her body began to tremble uncontrollably.
Almost at the very next moment—
A white light burst forth from the crater, piercing the sky.
Erika, momentarily forgetting the imminent danger, locked her gaze onto the radiant beam emanating from the heart of the volcano.
“What… is that?”
Back in Sancher Town and on the volcano’s slopes, the mages and knights all noticed the violent tremors shaking the volcano.
“This is a sign that the volcano is about to erupt!”
A mage suddenly shouted, though it was clear to everyone present.
The surging lava from the crater was undeniable proof.
All the Tier Three Mages wore grave expressions, ready to unleash the catastrophic war magic at Duke Levi’s command.
Such powerful magic was enough to completely suppress the volcano.
Duke Levi was confident. He had just prepared to cast the spell, even considering having Erika provide additional mana support.
“Erika, can you hold on?”
He asked habitually, but no response came.
When Duke Levi turned around, Erika was nowhere to be seen.
“Erika!? Erika?!”
Panic surged through him as he searched the encampment, but there was no sign of her.
“Why is she missing at such a critical moment?!”
Frustration overtook Duke Levi. Just when the war magic was about to be deployed, she had vanished.
If she had gone up the volcano, she would be in extreme danger.
He refused to believe she would act so recklessly and continued searching for her on the mountainside.
All the mages, who had been poised to cast their spells, stood frozen in confusion.
Why had Duke Levi suddenly halted the ritual at this crucial juncture?
Several Tier Three Mages anxiously called out:
“Duke! If we don’t activate the formation now, the volcano will erupt completely!”
“There’s no time!”
The Duke roared back, his voice firm:
“No! We absolutely cannot activate the formation!”
“Duke! What on earth is happening?!”
Confusion spread through the ranks as they questioned him.
“Erika is missing!”
Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned.
If Erika was at the summit, then the moment the magic was unleashed, she would be torn apart by its overwhelming force.
Yet, if they did not act—
The volcanic eruption would result in a catastrophic disaster.
Duke Levi’s eyes were bloodshot with anguish.
If he had to make a choice, he would rather forsake his honor and position, even abandon saving countless innocent lives—
As long as he could bring Erika back.
At that moment, the people around him tried to convince him otherwise.
Even a single second could make a difference in preventing the disaster!
Yet, as long as Duke Levi, the lead magician, remained silent, the ritual would not proceed.
Suddenly, a blinding white light burst from the crater, piercing through the dark clouds and illuminating the sky!
Everyone turned to witness this dazzling beam tear apart the gloom, revealing the moonlit heavens.
Then—
Raindrops began to fall.
One by one, they descended from the sky like spirits arriving after a calamity.
A torrential downpour engulfed the mountaintop, extinguishing the flowing lava.
As if by magic, the rain fell upon Vesuvius.
The volcano lost all momentum.
The scorching temperatures plummeted rapidly.
The entire volcano, like molten iron suddenly doused in cold water, released billowing steam.
No one felt hot anymore.
On the contrary, beneath this unexpected rainfall, they shivered.
The flowing lava gradually solidified, its fiery glow fading into its original black hue.
“…The eruption of Vesuvius… was halted?”
A mage voiced the collective astonishment of the entire assembly.
Drenched by the rain, Duke Levi squinted at the sky, his expression unreadable.
Near the summit, Gwen lifted her gaze to the now-clear night sky, exhaling deeply.
She had been close to the mysterious light and could distinctly feel its terrifying power.
The once impassable lava had cooled.
She rose, gripping her silver sword, her resolve firm as she charged toward the summit.