"This..."
Seeing over a hundred strange creatures frozen in place, unable to move an inch, Alita Miller and the others all turned their gazes toward Dean Bruce, their eyes filled with admiration.
"Lord Dean, was it you again? Did you cast another spell?"
"What kind of magic is this? How can it control so many powerful monsters at once?"
Cries of amazement echoed continuously.
Dean Bruce shook his head and said in a deep voice, "I didn't cast any magic. They were frozen by someone else."
At this, everyone was stunned, their hearts filled with confusion. Who, other than Dean Bruce, could possibly possess such power?
Boom, rumble!
Just then, the mountains shook violently. Dean Bruce and his companions turned to see a brilliant light radiating from the shattered Moon Temple on a distant peak.
Buzz—
In that very moment, the strange creatures caught in the light began to shrink rapidly. Their sharp claws, tails, and even the purple markings on their skin disappeared.
Within just a few breaths, to the astonishment of Dean Bruce and the others, the monsters reverted back to human form. They collapsed to the ground, convulsing uncontrollably.
Swish—
A sound pierced the air as a beam of white light descended from the sky, landing right in front of them—it was none other than Ebner Mondo.
Ebner Mondo looked around, smiling as he spoke, "Good thing I didn't arrive too late—just in time before your fight."
"Everyone, these are my people. Now that they've returned to their true selves, I hope you'll spare them and give them a chance to live."
"..."
Hearing his words, the group glanced back at Ebner Mondo, their initial hostility fading.
Who wouldn't appreciate a few kind words?
Originally, they were at a disadvantage, but with Ebner Mondo speaking so respectfully, how could they bring themselves to finish off his people?
Besides, their real enemies were the outsiders.
Ebner Mondo chuckled, "Thank you all for your understanding. I've now made contact with the Moon God and can temporarily borrow some of its power. In the upcoming battles, feel free to call on me whenever needed! As long as we can drive out those outsiders, I promise you a grand reward!"
Cluck, cluck, cluck...
Before Dean Bruce and the others could respond, mocking, disdainful laughter echoed suddenly, startling everyone.
They looked up toward the source of the sound, where a purple light flickered, revealing a figure cloaked in a pale blue magical robe.
"Hm?"
Feeling the familiar magical energy, Alita Miller's pupils constricted in shock as she stared at Dean Bruce. She couldn't believe he was able to cast the same spell using different elemental forces!
After all, in their world, the common understanding was that each element was distinct, and would give rise to different spells.
While Alita Miller was astonished, The Compassion of Heaven and Earth continued to grow in strength. With Dean Bruce continuously pouring more magic into it, the power of the spell became even more formidable.
The ground beneath Boken Nadra split open, and chunks of rock shot toward him.
However, Boken Nadra, with his high-level reflexes, quickly clasped his hands together. The lightning surrounding him exploded, blasting the rocks away.
Seeing this, the group collectively exhaled in relief, their tense hearts finally calming down.
At the very least, Dean Bruce could hold off Boken Nadra! With their assistance in distracting him, victory seemed within reach.
Moreover, Dean Bruce appeared calm, as if he wasn't even using his full strength.
"Interesting!" A look of surprise crossed Boken Nadra's face as he carefully sized up Dean Bruce. He murmured, "This is truly remarkable. From what I can sense, you're not even a Grand Magus, yet you can cast high-level spells and even counter my Thunderstorm Javelin! It's astounding!"
"My spell—there are few Grand Magi who would dare take it head-on!"
Hearing this, Dean Bruce understood just how powerful Boken Nadra was—a Magus-level sorcerer.
He couldn't help but acknowledge the vast differences in strength even among those at the same Magus level. The oppressive aura Boken Nadra exuded far surpassed that of Lennar.
"Silent, are you? You think so little of me?" Boken Nadra's eyes flashed with anger as he noticed Dean Bruce's composed expression. His voice grew cold and sinister. "Very well, if you dare look down on me, then let me show you my most powerful magic!"
"Thunderclap... Fierce Tiger!"
Boken Nadra clapped his hands together with force, and in an instant, all the lightning swirling around him converged, rapidly transforming into the form of a fierce tiger.
"Roar!"
The thunderous roar of the tiger intertwined with the crackling of lightning, creating a deafening sonic wave that left everyone on the battlefield covering their ears in pain.
At the same time, the lightning-formed tiger leapt forward, spewing bolts of thunder toward Dean Bruce, Alita Miller, and the others.
"Ah!"
Cries of panic erupted as the group, locked in the tiger's electric gaze, was paralyzed with fear. Before they could react, a surge of earth rose from the ground, swiftly forming a barrier of soil that shielded them, blocking the thunderous assault.
Boom, boom, boom!
The sound of lightning crashing against the earthen walls echoed continuously, each blast sending shockwaves through the area. Boken Nadra's expression grew increasingly grim, his brows furrowing deeply.
He glanced back at Dean Bruce, who still stood motionless, hands clasped behind his back, with not even a flicker of emotion crossing his face. Boken Nadra's mouth twitched involuntarily, a growing sense of dread creeping into his heart.
Even though Boken Nadra could cast spells with minimal incantations, he still needed to make gestures and call out the spell's name. In stark contrast, Dean Bruce's effortless spellcasting, without so much as a movement, was unnerving.
Generally, the more effortlessly a mage can cast a spell, the stronger they are.
This realization filled Boken Nadra with doubt and fear. Could he really be no match for Dean Bruce? As the sounds of magic clashing filled the air, Boken Nadra's face grew darker and more anxious with each passing moment.