"I apologize," the Diviners said firmly, "but we cannot allow any unauthorized personnel to disturb Headmaster Heinrich at this critical moment."
"Sigh," Anaxa sighed. "So, in the end, we still have to fight? It didn't have to come to this."
As he spoke, he drew a 'pistol' from his inner coat pocket, gripping the handle with his right hand and pointing it at the Diviners.
Bang!
Zero-Frame activation—he pulled the trigger without hesitation!
Among the Eight Great Schools of magic, Diviners are widely considered the weakest in direct combat. After all, their magic primarily focuses on gathering information, leaving them with few truly offensive spells.
But that's only under normal circumstances. Wizards, when prepared, become incredibly powerful, and Diviners amplify this advantage to its extreme.
Anaxa's draw and shot were lightning-fast. A green bullet shot from the barrel. Normally, no Wizard could react quickly enough to cast a spell or perform any countermeasure in such a short time.
Just before the bullet struck, the Diviner directly ahead of it vanished instantly, reappearing ten meters away in another location.
To defeat a Gold-tier or higher Wizard, the Divination School's Trigger Spells were indispensable. Against Wizards from other Schools, a single Trigger Spell sufficed—once expended, the threat was neutralized. But Diviners were different.
The teleported Diviner maintained his composure, gently rubbing his thumb against the ring on his index finger to activate another Trigger Spell. This instantly filled the gap left by the previous teleportation, meaning that if Anaxa were to attack him again, he would be teleported away once more.
This was a feat only Diviners could achieve: Multiple Trigger Spells. They could pre-cast an almost limitless number of spells, their sole limitation being the need for sufficient carriers. For instance, a single 'Trigger Spell' could be stored on a person or object.
This explained the Diviner's ring-touching gesture. Anaxa glanced at the group of Diviners; each wore at least five or six rings, the tips of their staves were densely studded with small gems, and their chests were adorned with numerous ornaments.
Each of these items had been pre-charged with Trigger Spells, storing a variety of magical effects.
Watching this, Anaxa's lips twitched slightly. These guys really came prepared. Still, this hardly posed a challenge to him.
He subtly adjusted his pistol's aim and pulled the trigger again. At the same moment, the Diviners present began chanting spells.
The bullet flew out, targeting the same Diviner as before. The situation unfolded exactly as before: just before impact, the Diviner vanished from his spot, reappearing elsewhere. This teleportation didn't even interrupt his spellcasting; he continued chanting without pause.
However, unlike before, Anaxa's bullet continued its trajectory, struck the wall of a nearby building, and ricocheted like a rubber ball. The ricochet directed the bullet perfectly toward the spot where the Diviner had teleported, hitting him without fail!
Time was too short. The Diviner didn't even have a chance to touch his ring before the bullet struck him.
What was even more absurd was that the bullet didn't cause a through-and-through wound. Instead, it ricocheted a second time, flying toward another Diviner.
The exact same sequence of events unfolded: just as the bullet was about to strike, the enemy teleported away. The bullet then ricocheted three more times, unerringly tracking the Diviner's new location and continuing this pattern.
Though the process sounds complex, it all happened in the blink of an eye. From the perspective of others, Anaxa had simply fired a second shot, followed by a rapid series of crackling sounds as a green object darted back and forth at incredible speed.
In the end, all the Diviners collapsed almost simultaneously, leaving behind only a web-like green trail lingering in the four observers' vision before slowly dissipating.
"Ah... ah?" The Necromancy Tower Master was stunned. Everything had happened so quickly. To be honest, she had still been hesitating about whether to intervene. If she attacked the Arcane Federation's Wizards now, would it be considered treason? Would the Federation hold a grudge?
Even as she was still pondering these thoughts, the battle had already ended!?!
She stared blankly at Anaxa. "How... how did you do that?"
Anaxa shrugged, his voice calm. "Just some simple calculations."
It was indeed that simple. When a wizard casts a spell, the act of chanting the incantation is akin to a modern human operating a cannon. You must first determine the target's location, adjust the barrel's elevation, calculate the trajectory, and finally load the ammunition before firing.
Therefore, if Anaxa could observe the series of adjustments made before the cannon fired, he could naturally calculate the shell's impact point. Similarly, the moment the first Diviner touched the ring to "load" a second Trigger Spell onto himself...
Although the Diviner didn't chant or gesture, Anaxa instantly calculated the destination of the Teleportation Magic.
It was as if Anaxa hadn't witnessed the cannon's adjustments at all, only the loading of the shell, yet he still calculated the impact point—an utterly absurd feat.
Even more absurdly, in that instant, he grasped the essence of the Teleportation Magic Trigger Spell. With a mere glance at the other wizards, he calculated their teleportation destinations as well—an even more unbelievable feat than before.
What followed was the scene unfolding now: he fired a ricochet bullet, meticulously calculating its trajectory before pulling the trigger, taking down all the Diviners with a single shot!
It's worth noting that Anaxa wasn't using lethal ammunition; instead, he employed tranquilizer rounds. Even battle-hardened warriors would be paralyzed by a single hit, let alone the physically frail wizards.
Had Anaxa slaughtered his way through, his hands stained with the blood of hundreds as he reached Heinrich, no matter how valid his words might have been, reconciliation would have been impossible. This, then, was likely the most perfect solution imaginable.
"Alright, let's move on..." But just as Anaxa finished speaking, he noticed something impossible: the wizards, who should have been unconscious from the tranquilizer darts, had suddenly begun chanting the latter half of their spell again!
Four Magic Circles materialized before the group, and a torrent of Magic Power began to surge forth.
"What?!" Anaxa was genuinely stunned, completely unprepared for this turn of events. Surely these Wizards can't be physically stronger than Warriors, can they?!
But in that brief moment, the Wizards had already completed their spells. A tempestuous vortex of air erupted from the first Magic Circle, coalescing in mid-air into a creature with only an upper torso, its body primarily cyan-blue.
"It's an Air Great Spirit!" the Necromancy Tower Master exclaimed, her expression grim. "One of the most powerful beings from the Air Elemental Plane, one of the Four Elemental Planes—a Demigod-level entity!"
In Bardic legends, this creature was also known as the Genie. Some adventurers might stumble upon an Air Great Spirit by chance, strike a bargain with it, and be granted a single wish.
Following suit, three other figures emerged from the remaining Magic Circles in quick succession:
First, a colossal brown stone giant over a hundred meters tall, still expanding—the Earth Great Spirit!
One was a constantly surging humanoid form of molten lava, its surface encrusted with shards of Black Jade like a suit of armor—the Fire Great Spirit!
The last was a shapeshifting mass of water, its head morphing between human and serpentine forms from one moment to the next. Its deep blue core marked it as the Water Great Spirit.
In an instant, four Demigod-level enemies had materialized on the battlefield!
"We're done for..." the Necromancy Tower Master muttered under her breath. "I should have stayed home..." The situation looked utterly dire.
The enemy wizards were well-prepared, while the Necromancy Tower Master was caught completely off guard, putting her at a severe disadvantage. Moreover, these Demigod Great Spirits were, in a sense, highly resistant to her Necromancy. As Elemental Creatures, they lacked the concept of "life force," rendering her Negative Energy magic largely ineffective against them.
At best, she could barely manage one Demigod Great Spirit. Anaxa and Hyacine, both Demigods themselves, could handle two more, but that would still leave one remaining!
We can't just let Pela go and solo a Demigod, can we?
As she observed the scene unfolding before her, Hyacine silently stepped forward. Faced with this unexpected crisis—four Demigods at once—even Anaxa lacked a foolproof solution. But it was precisely to prepare for such contingencies that Hyacine had accompanied Anaxa to the Arcane Federation.
"You two fall back," she said. "Leave this to me!"
Hyacine's voice remained soft and sweet, but now it carried a hint of seriousness that hadn't been there before. At her command, the Necromancy Tower Master obediently retreated behind Hyacine, though given their size difference, Hyacine couldn't possibly block her.
Pela, however, remained rooted to the spot, stunned. "What?"
Earlier, when the Necromancy Tower Master had mentioned "you two Demigods," there had only been four people present. Excluding the Necromancy Tower Master and Pela herself, the remaining "two Demigods" could only be Professor Anaxa and little Hyacine.
Pela wasn't stupid; she'd deduced this immediately. But even after reasoning it out, she still struggled to believe it. It's just too absurd! The usually playful and adorable Hyacine, the girl who bickered and joked with her—was she actually a Demigod? How is this even possible?
As she watched Hyacine's petite figure ahead, then glanced up at the four colossal Demigod Great Spirits of water, fire, earth, and air, a wave of concern washed over her.
For Hyacine, facing four Demigod-level Elemental Creatures posed no real challenge. The difficulty lay in her combat style, which favored massive area-of-effect attacks. In the confines of the Floating City, such attacks risked causing significant collateral damage.
The same worry persisted: she couldn't slaughter her way to Headmaster Heinrich; negotiation would be impossible.
Just as Hyacine was strategizing her next move, she called out softly, "Little Ica!"
In the next instant, a white Pegasus galloped swiftly from the distance like a radiant shooting star, closing the gap and stopping beside Hyacine in a mere two or three seconds.
Little Ica transformed back into its adult form. Compared to its earlier, endearingly chubby and adorable appearance, it now exuded an aura of imposing majesty and power. Its hooves tapped lightly on the ground as it fixed its gaze on the four Demigod Great Spirits before it.
After being summoned, the four Demigod Great Spirits didn't immediately attack. Instead, they turned to the Summoners—the Diviners who had just scrambled to their feet. The Fire Great Spirit spoke first, its voice like rumbling thunder, "You summoned all four of us at once just to deal with this little pink thing?"
The Water Great Spirit added, its tone fluid and measured, "According to our Contract, you only have one chance to call upon us. Are you sure you want to use it here?"
These Demigod Great Spirits possessed extraordinary intelligence, perhaps even surpassing that of most ordinary humans. The Diviners hadn't actually cast the summoning spell themselves; they had merely activated a pre-set summoning spell prepared by the Conjuration Tower Master within the Floating City.
Faced with the Great Spirits' questions, the lead Diviner immediately declared with certainty, "Yes! Destroy them!"
At this, the Earth Great Spirit rumbled, "Very well."
It slowly raised its right hand. The Water and Fire Great Spirits prepared for battle as well. After all, they were here to fulfill their Contract. They would do whatever the Summoner commanded—the sooner they finished the job, the sooner they could return home.
Only the Air Great Spirit wore a solemn expression, its gaze fixed on Hyacine, who stood before it, unmoving for the moment.
The perspective shifted back to Hyacine. While the Great Spirit and the Diviner were conversing, Hyacine had already formulated her strategy. Facing the Earth Great Spirit, who loomed before her like a small mountain, she raised her right hand.
A hurricane erupted from the ground!
BOOM!
The sudden hurricane unleashed a deafening, explosive roar. The ground around Hyacine buckled inward as if crushed by immense weight, instantly forming a circular crater over ten meters in diameter!
However, this crater wasn't carved by the wind itself. It was merely a byproduct of the divine power Hyacine had unleashed, the force spilling outward to create the destructive effect.
The colossal gale, originating from Hyacine, slammed into the Earth Great Spirit. The force froze the giant's raised fist mid-swing, its massive arm suspended in mid-air, unable to complete its downward strike.
Yet this was far from Hyacine's limit. The hurricane's intensity continued to escalate rapidly!