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“Are you alright, Headmaster Astoria? What happened? Why did your reaction suddenly become so slow?” Ember asked out of concern and doubt.

“I’m alright, Marquis Ember. A superficial wound like this is nothing to worry about,” Astoria calmly replied as she distanced herself from Fallen Witch Elvira. “I was just a little surprised by the name Van Helsing.”

“That again?” Ember gave Astoria a helpless glance and said, “You’re too fixated on Vaan Raphna and anything related to or reminded you of him—”

“Do you think you have the luxury of being distracted when you are facing me?!”

Ember’s words were cut short as she was forced to hurriedly receive Fallen Witch Elvira’s incoming black water spell with a shield of condensed flames.

Boom!

Ember was sent flying away by the impact of two spells colliding, followed by an explosion, which blasted her away even faster.

Bam!

Her body slammed into a towering support pillar in the distance. Still, the damage was minimized thanks to the shrouded flames protecting her body.

On the other hand, cracks appeared on the scorched surface of the towering support pillar.

Nevertheless, Fallen Witch Elvira didn’t intend to give Ember a chance to recover as she quickly followed up with another water spell.

However, she was quickly interrupted by Astoria’s incoming one-handed sword strike.

At the same time, Astoria’s shoulder wound quickly healed a visible rate. The darkness attribute in Fallen Witch Elvira’s black water spell was purified by light-attribute magic, and water was expelled as the wound healed.

Although Astoria’s sword strike came swiftly, Fallen Witch Elvira easily stopped her attack with a condensed black water sphere that had outer layers of black water revolving around it at ultra-high speed.

“Did you think this level of attack could hurt me?” Fallen Witch Elvira casually said before she flicked away Astoria’s greatsword with her black water sphere and sent a powerful kick to her stomach.

Peng!

Astoria’s light barrier was struck by a powerful physical force that sent her body flying back a few dozen yards.

When she saw the crack on the surface of her protective light barrier, Astoria was surprised.

“Kekeke, why the look of surprise? Did you think you were the only one who could train your physical body to a high level?” Fallen Witch Elvira chuckled sinisterly with a smug look before she added, “Well, I admit I achieve this much strength through physical enhancement magic.”

“Physical enhancement magic? That’s not your Specialize Magic… How are you not affected by the Curse of the Purple Umbala?” Ember uttered with surprise.

Fallen Witch Elvira immediately glanced at Ember with contempt.

“I’ve spent many years living within the region affected by the Curse of the Purple Umbala and performed body transmutation research on various creatures. You look down on me too much if you think I would still be affected by this mere curse!” Fallen Witch Elvira snickered.

“As expected, it wasn’t goblins… You even fused with a piece of the Plant-type Abomination to build immunity to its curse! No wonder you look so fucking ugly. Truly disgusting and repulsive,” Ember insulted.

However, Fallen Witch Elvira wasn’t affected by her provocative words in the slightest.

“Some sacrifice must be made in the grand scheme of things. Beauty is but a small price for longevity and power,” Fallen Witch Elvira coolly said.

Shortly after, she continued to fight Ember and Astoria, overwhelming them with her superior power and mana capacity.

As the battle dragged on, Ember felt the increasing difficulty in blocking the Fallen Witch’s casual black water spells.

“How are you still getting stronger?” Ember uttered with a grave look.

She realized that even with the united effort of two Early-stage High Witches, they weren’t enough to exhaust a Mid-stage High Witch.

The gap between the early and middle stages was far greater than she could imagine.

‘No wonder it was so difficult for Early-stage High Witches to advance. But how did Elvira achieve it? What did she do?’ Ember silently wondered.

“I’m getting stronger? Kekeke, you got it all wrong. I’m not getting stronger at all. You’re simply getting weaker,” Fallen Witch Elvira corrected with an amused look.

“After so many years, this is all you can amount to. You’ve stagnated for too long, Ember Killian. What’s wrong? If you don’t try harder, those people who came with you will all die to my goblins first.”

Fallen Witch Elvira instigated Ember and Astoria to use everything they had.

While she had no problem beating Ember and Astoria, she couldn’t finish them immediately. Thus, it would be a big problem if she let them flee and come back with a stronger force to eliminate her.

Only when they decide to use everything they had to defeat her could she eliminate their chances of escaping.

Nevertheless, Ember saw through Fallen Witch Elvira’s intentions.

“Headmaster Astoria, we have underestimated the strength of our enemy. A Mid-stage High Witch has proven to be too much for us to handle alone. Even if we have to abandon everyone else, we must make it back alive and inform Her Majesty.”

Ember’s reasonable suggestion made Fallen Witch Elvira’s pupils shrank into slits with heavy killing intent.

However, Astoria’s response surprised both of them.

“No, we cannot retreat!” Astoria firmly replied as her eyes glowed brighter by the moment, causing Ember to be both stunned and puzzled at the same time.

“What? Why! You know we cannot defeat her! Now is not the time for foolishness, Headmaster Astoria! If no one makes it back alive, no one will know about Fallen Witch Elvira!” Ember shouted.

“Foolishness? I couldn’t be clearer, Marquis Ember. You may retreat if you wish,” Astoria permitted before firmly stating, “However, I will stay and fight!”

“You’ll die without me! Why are you acting like this at this crucial moment, Headmaster Astoria?” Ember shouted as she helped Astoria block a water attack spell—only to be blasted far away.

“I’ve found him, Marquis Ember! He was alive all along! He is here with us!” Astoria’s eyes beamed as she became increasingly certain of her guess.

“He had been hiding in plain sight! I should have known from the start. Only a man of his intelligence could possess such arrogance!”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying at all!”