Leave One Alive, Right?

“Moen, take care of Lian for me. I’ll go help them end the battle.” Starlight gently handed Lian over to Moen, preparing to join the fray himself.

“Alright, please be careful. Also, please make sure to leave one alive for me. I need these monsters as research samples to understand them more deeply.”

Moen nodded solemnly in agreement, then quickly retreated to a safe zone with Lian, turning her attention to the emergency treatment of the wounded in the rear.

“Leave one alive, huh... I understand.”

Starlight murmured to himself. Suddenly, the surging mana within him ignited like a flash of fire, turning him into a streak of light that shot toward the center of the battlefield.

The arrival of the two undoubtedly acted as a shot of adrenaline for everyone, turning the previously deadlocked battle into a completely one-sided massacre.

In the absence of Saint Rank enemies, the four members of Starry Moon Shadow represented the pinnacle of combat power in their respective fields.

Though mages were few in number, they were practically strategic-grade weapons in large-scale battles, and Starlight, possessing the Radiant Elemental Body, was the best among them.

With elemental affinity for multiple attributes, a total mana capacity nearly several times that of those at the same level, and agility that didn't seem to belong to a mage at all, his appearance on the battlefield dealt a devastating blow to the monsters.

At the edge of the battlefield, a ranger was unfortunately trapped behind the ruins of a collapsed building during the chaos, facing the desperate situation of being swallowed by the surging swarm of monsters.

He instinctively raised his hands, shielding his head tightly. His heart was filled with fear and despair toward the unknown attacks, preparing himself for the impending bite of sharp teeth.

However, the expected sharp pain never came. Instead, a wisp of warm wind brushed gently across his cheek.

When he gathered his courage and tremblingly opened his eyes, the sight before him left him stunned. The upper bodies of the monsters that had been menacingly approaching had actually turned to ash, leaving only severed limbs scattered powerlessly on the ground.

Starlight, the caster, had already left his side and moved on to another area.

Lira, who was fighting on the front lines, possessed excellent skills and was a top-tier Grand Swordmaster like Po Kong. However, facing the tide of monsters, he also found it difficult to withstand the overwhelming attacks.

Without the support of large-scale area-of-effect skills, he could only rely on his agile movements and precise dodging to struggle for survival in the gaps between the monsters.

Just then, a brilliant, massive fireball tore through the sky, crashing into the center of the monsters with destructive force.

Where the magic reached, flames soared and heatwaves surged, instantly swallowing the dozens of monsters swarming in front of Lira and turning them into ash.

“Huh? Starlight!? Why are you here?”

Lira immediately recognized the familiar back. The surge of surprise in his heart made him blurt out, his voice filled with disbelief.

“It’s a long story. Let me finish off the monsters on the main battlefield first!” Starlight nodded to him, then cast several more spells forward.

The dense formation of the monsters, rather than providing them shelter, became the perfect aid for Starlight to unleash his magic.

Every wave of his hands triggered a series of explosions and flames. Almost without needing to aim, he could reduce groups of enemies to nothing.

Before this destructive power, the main battlefield was quickly cleared, leaving only a few scattered monsters gasping for their last breaths, having lost all ability to resist.

For those insignificant monsters, Starlight finally used the water element. Clear water gathered like obedient spirits, enveloping two of the more intact monsters.

In just an instant, they were frozen into two crystal-clear ice blocks.

After completing this, Starlight quickly entrusted the task of cleaning up the battlefield to his other comrades. He and Lira then rushed to the rear, carrying these two precious ice blocks.

On the way, Starlight briefly summarized the current situation for Lira.

Hearing that the entire Council Chambers might have perished and about Ryan’s tragic sacrifice to ensure Lian’s safe escape, even the usually cold Lira showed a flash of deep sorrow in his eyes.

“...Thank you so much. If it weren't for you, the Princess might have...”

Lira’s words were filled with sincerity and gratitude. He didn't even dare to imagine what the Night Elf race would become if something had happened to Lian.

“It’s alright, no need for thanks. This is what friends should do.” Starlight waved his hand and walked through the gates of the City Hall with him.

At this moment, the City Hall was in an uproar. The continuous influx of wounded and the gathering of Night Elf civilians seeking temporary refuge made the place exceptionally crowded and chaotic.

According to the staffing of the Ranger Force and the City Hall, the two priests originally responsible for medical care and order were clearly overwhelmed by the sudden, massive demand, nearly collapsing under the heavy workload.

However, with Moen’s timely appearance, their predicament was significantly alleviated.

Under Moen’s command, several tall treants pushed through the crowd, tirelessly shuttling through the hall to carefully transport the heavily wounded warriors to designated areas.

Having the experience of treating Xia Duo, Moen quickly constructed a simple magic formation around the wounded, using its power to sprinkle her mana over each of them like a fine drizzle.

Under her treatment, the wounds of the warriors injured by the monsters began to heal gradually, and the death energy remaining in their bodies was dispelled one by one.

When Moen finally finished her busy work, Starlight and Lira stepped forward in unison, gently placing the two crystal-clear ice blocks containing the monsters before her.

“Moen, take a look. Will this work?” Curiosity and expectation sparkled in Starlight’s eyes.

Moen circled the two ice blocks, examining them closely for a moment before nodding in satisfaction.

“Very good. These creatures have been preserved exceptionally well, retaining their original vitality while avoiding fatal damage. Next, I’ll need your assistance to perform a detailed dissection on them.”

With that, she nimbly tied back her flaxen hair and took out a pair of professional gloves from her storage space, along with the sharp dagger she had used to treat Xia Duo.

“So, what exactly do I need to do?” Starlight asked hurriedly as he saw Moen approach one of the frozen monsters.

“It’s simple. Please help me unfreeze the ice covering this area of its back first. Be careful to be gentle and precise,” Moen instructed while starting to prepare her tools.

...

Witnessing the two of them focused on investigating the monsters, Lira thoughtfully chose not to disturb them. Instead, he walked toward Lian, who was lying quietly not far away, still unconscious.

He approached the bedside lightly, and after confirming that Lian was unharmed, he stood guard silently.

With the help of wind elements, the dagger in Moen’s hand easily sliced through the monster’s tough outer skin, exposing the still-vibrant, pulsing muscle tissue within, revealing its true nature to her and Starlight.

Thanks to the solidification effect of the ice magic, only a few sparse drops of blood slowly seeped from the wound on the monster’s back.

As Moen skillfully peeled away the muscle layer by layer, the monster’s skeleton gradually became visible, but it caused her brow to furrow slightly.

“How strange. These tissues look perfectly normal from every angle. How exactly do they carry that thick death energy? And... these internal organs, why do they feel somewhat familiar?” Moen murmured to herself, her eyes filled with confusion.

Just then, Noah’s voice rang out in both of their minds.

“Your observation is correct. The internal organs and skeletal structure of these monsters bear a striking similarity to sub-dragons.”

“Wait, Noah, you’re okay! I thought something happened to you!” Starlight asked with a hint of surprise and joy.