“This is bad!”
Witnessing this scene, Angela’s face turned deathly pale. Without hesitation, she raised her spear and plummeted from the sky, thrusting it violently into the earth beneath her.
The moment the spearhead touched the ground, the entire weapon seemed to take root and sprout, transforming into a green sapling. A surge of immense power spread through the underground root system, radiating outward at an astonishing speed.
But just as Angela prepared to cast a spell to bind every monster within her sight, her body suddenly trembled violently.
Immediately after, a mouthful of blood tainted with a dark hue erupted uncontrollably from her mouth. The spear in her hand grew dull and lifeless, and the spell she had just prepared dissipated into nothingness.
“What... did you do!?”
Angela struggled to lift her head, her gaze fixed on the two massive claws that were about to vanish deep into the rift. Her voice was low and filled with fury.
“I simply allowed the power of death to flow freely across this land, and you didn’t even notice... What a pity... With my current strength, I cannot yet completely destroy you and the World Tree. However, my goal has been achieved. For now, please take your time to savor the ‘blessings’ brought by the Wind of Death...”
As the giant claws slowly withdrew into the rift, that low, chilling voice gradually faded, finally vanishing into the endless void.
The monsters that had kidnapped countless elves seemed to receive a command at that moment. Without hesitation, they turned and retreated rapidly into the spatial rifts from which they had come, leaving behind only deathly silence and despair.
“Lian!”
Starlight roared at the sky, which had returned to a tranquil state. His voice was filled with disbelief and desperation.
He could hardly believe that terrifying entity had actually kidnapped Lian. Yet, the devastation surrounding him served as a grim reminder that this was no dream.
“Aunt Angela! How do you feel? Please, you must be okay!”
Starlight’s gaze was still frozen on the void where the rift had vanished when Xia Duo’s anxious cry suddenly rang in his ears. He snapped his head around, fixing his eyes on Angela, who was kneeling on the ground nearby.
Xia Duo had already rushed to her side like an arrow released from a bow. She was about to reach out to help her up, but Angela firmly stopped her.
Although blood no longer flowed from the corners of Angela’s mouth, anyone could see that her condition was dire.
The most direct reflection of her state was her long, pale green hair. Once as fresh and vibrant as a sprout in early spring, it was now turning withered and yellow at a heartbreaking speed, like fallen leaves drifting in an autumn wind, losing all its former luster and vitality.
The once-surging life force within her was also receding like a low tide, slowly and irresistibly dissipating.
“Don’t come near me. The energy inside my body is too unstable right now; it could easily hurt you.” Angela shook her head slowly at Xia Duo. She adjusted her posture to sit cross-legged and upright before continuing in a soft voice.
“Don’t worry, my life force is much stronger than you imagine... I just didn’t expect the enemy to know my weaknesses so well and to have laid such a meticulous trap... Cough, cough.”
Before she could finish, another mouthful of black, clotted blood spilled from the corner of her mouth, adding a touch of frailty to her already pale face.
Faced with this, Xia Duo, who knew nothing of healing magic, could only worry in vain. She instinctively glanced at her sister in Starlight’s arms, but Moen was still in a deep coma and could offer no help at all.
With Angela injured, the emerald branches that had been surrounding Starlight and Moen to heal them seemed to lose their source of life. They withered rapidly, turning into a cloud of debris at the slightest touch.
The massive flower bud protecting Lira also vanished into thin air amidst a mournful breeze, leaving nothing but dust on the ground.
Fortunately, the emergency treatment from before had not been in vain. Although Lira had not yet awakened, his wounds were no longer bleeding, and the large hole in his chest had been filled with newly grown pink flesh.
The group waited in silence, every second feeling exceptionally long.
Finally, several minutes later, Angela slowly opened her beautiful eyes. A faint flush reappeared on her cheeks, and she used her spear as a support to stand up with great difficulty.
“Children of the World Tree, come to me...”
Angela nodded slightly. Though her voice was soft, it carried an indescribable power. Like the first ray of morning sun piercing through a mist, it was warm and bright, reaching every corner of the city.
Even the elves at the edge of the city felt drawn by an invisible force and clearly captured her call.
Before this, many elves had noticed the battle at the city center. However, the terrifying shockwaves and the pressure of the Saint Rank powerhouses had made it impossible for them to even approach the area.
Now that the battle had ended, the commotion in the city gradually subsided, and the elves’ gazes once again converged here as one.
Upon hearing Angela’s summons, figures began to arrive at the district that had already been razed to the ground.
Among them were ranger squads and garrison forces who had come from various places to provide support, as well as innocent civilians who had taken refuge nearby. Starlight’s gaze even caught sight of two battle-scarred Saint Rank powerhouses.
Gazing at the ruins and the ash drifting through the air, the elves showed expressions of horror and confusion, unable to imagine what could have devastated their home so thoroughly.
As the crowd gathered, Angela lightly tapped her spear against the ground. The crisp sound, like an ancient bell, sent a jolt through everyone’s heart.
Immediately following, a gentle ripple of emerald energy radiated outward from her, quickly enveloping the area.
Under the cleansing of this energy, the wounds on the elves began to heal, and even the anxiety in their hearts was soothed in that moment.
“My dear children! Today, our home has suffered an unprecedented disaster...”
With a gentle voice, Angela began to recount the events of the day.
She slowly narrated everything that had occurred—from the attack on the main trunk of the World Tree to the collapse of the Council Chambers and the destruction of the entire city. Every detail unfolded before the crowd like a scroll.
When she mentioned the betrayal of Yuta and Ming Ye, there was no shortage of confusion and shock in the crowd. They found it hard to believe that these two once-respected elves would actually betray their own race.
However, what followed was undoubtedly a surge of indignation and grief. It was a deep condemnation of the traitors and a helpless sigh for their own fate.
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