After the Explosion

Under the perfect coordination of the group and Noah, the intense pain and dizziness surged over him like a tide, nearly suffocating him.

This blow not only caused Yuta immense agony but also abruptly interrupted the spell he was casting. The crushing pressure that had nearly flattened Starlight and the others vanished without a trace in an instant.

Seizing the moment the pressure lifted, Starlight ignored the pain in his arm and lunged up from the ground. He pointed his other hand toward the massive energy sphere suspended high in the sky.

Immediately, the arrow of destruction that was still hovering before Yuta changed direction and streaked toward the energy sphere.

It all happened in a flash. The group had cleverly used the destructive arrow as a feint, allowing Xia Duo’s arrow to carry Noah into the air.

Starlight knew all too well that relying on a single spell to defeat Yuta—whose strength rivaled that of You—was nothing more than a pipe dream. However, simply detonating the newly condensed energy sphere in the sky was entirely feasible.

Since the opponent's ultimate goal was to seize the power of the World Tree, Starlight only needed to destroy the source of that power to achieve his objective.

The milky-white arrow of destruction, like a meteor piercing the night sky, passed through the energy sphere's shell without resistance and vanished within.

The arrow’s contact was like a stone cast into a tranquil lake, instantly stirring ripples that shattered the energy sphere's calm surface.

Just a second later, the once-stable sphere began to vibrate violently, as if countless forces within were tearing and battling each other.

Then, dazzling beams of white light erupted from inside. Without Yuta to maintain its stability, it could no longer hold its form and exploded in the sky with a thunderous roar.

This terrifying elemental tide instantly swallowed Yuta, who had yet to recover from the agonizing pain.

After unleashing the Soul Impact, Noah fell into a deep slumber. His body plummeted like a kite with a broken string. Xia Duo reacted quickly, rushing forward to catch him in her arms.

Meanwhile, with Moen’s assistance, Starlight used his uninjured arm to rapidly construct a multi-layered shield on the ground, sufficient to protect the group from outside harm.

Xia Duo, clutching Noah, used her incredible speed to dive into Starlight’s shield just a heartbeat before the raging mana could consume them.

In the next instant, a horrific surge of energy—a mixture of the Power of Nature and death power—swamped everything like a tsunami, instantly devouring the ruins of the streets within a one-kilometer radius.

The sheer power of this energy was spine-chilling. Had it not exploded in the sky, a significant portion of the city district would likely have been reduced to nothingness, turned into scorched earth by this cataclysmic force.

“Hey, Little Star, is this spell of yours going to hold? If it breaks, we’re all done for,” Po Kong asked anxiously, looking up at the barrier above them that was creaking under the relentless assault. The view outside had been completely blurred by the elemental tide, making him feel inevitably tense.

“It should...” Starlight managed to squeeze out a few words through gritted teeth, struggling under the crushing pressure of the elements.

“Shut your jinxing mouth, Po Kong!” Xia Duo glared at him fiercely, but when she saw the numerous wounds covering his body, her reproach was quickly replaced by heartache, and she turned away in silence.

Although Xia Duo herself was extremely apprehensive, in this situation, she could only pray that Starlight and Moen could hold on.

Fortunately, the violent explosion was like a sudden downpour—it came fast and went just as quickly. Before long, beams of light pierced through the sky, illuminating their surroundings.

When the group looked up, the former city ruins were gone. In their place was exposed ground that had been stripped a full meter deep by the elemental tide, looking utterly desolate.

The wooden houses where the elves once lived had been turned into flying ash by the ravages of death power, falling like a grey snow that almost blotted out the sun.

Thanks to the barrier Starlight and Moen had cast at the last moment, everyone inside the shield remained unharmed.

To maintain the spell, Starlight and Moen had used almost all their remaining mana. Once they were certain the danger had passed, they supported each other as they sank weakly to their knees, gasping for breath.

By now, except for Xia Duo who still retained a sliver of strength, everyone else was on the verge of total exhaustion.

Recovering from her alarm, Xia Duo quickly looked up, her sharp gaze warily scanning the surroundings.

She scouted every inch of space with startling speed, only to find that within a one-kilometer radius, there were no other survivors besides the five of them.

As for their opponents—Yuta and Ming Ye—they seemed to have been completely swallowed by the energy sphere's horrific explosion. Not a single trace of them remained, as if they had never existed at all.

“Teacher... I can hardly imagine that after dedicating thousands of years to our people, this is the end you face...” Xia Duo whispered, her lips pressed tight as sorrow flickered in her eyes.

Po Kong caught Xia Duo’s sigh. Despite the intense pain racking his body, he forced himself to stand and gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind.

This time, Xia Duo did not pull away. She turned and hugged Po Kong’s sturdy arm, silently drawing warmth and comfort from him.

“I guess the danger is finally over, right? I’m starting to doubt our luck—why is every opponent we face such a ridiculous powerhouse? Don’t you agree, Moen?”

Starlight and Moen were currently sitting back-to-back on the ground resting. Starlight had recovered a bit of strength, but when he looked up and saw the two embracing, he couldn't help but feel a bit awkward.

He had originally intended to ask Po Kong, but not wanting to disturb the moment, he changed the subject and posed the question to Moen behind him.

“Yeah... I think so. But I’m really sleepy right now. Can I borrow your shoulder for a bit? Just for a... while...”

Moen’s voice was thick with exhaustion. As she spoke, her head naturally tilted onto Starlight’s shoulder, and her eyes slowly closed.

The high-intensity mana output since arriving here had nearly depleted Moen’s mental power. She fell into a deep sleep before she could even finish her sentence.