Dean Bruce groaned inwardly. The power of the Dark Behemoth was overwhelming. Their attacks, though effective to some degree, seemed only to provoke the creature further, placing everyone in grave danger.
He turned to Nozer Hawthorne. "Vice President, do you have any ideas?"
Nozer Hawthorne pondered for a moment before replying, "Dean, perhaps we could combine our magic to create a more powerful attack spell. That might give us a chance to defeat it."
Dean Bruce nodded. "Alright, I'll get to it right away."
Just as Dean Bruce was about to leave.
Nozer Hawthorne stopped him, looking a bit embarrassed. "Dean, about those high-level spells you mentioned before... Could you share a few more of them?"
"This... Vice President, isn't that a bit..."
Dean Bruce chuckled nervously. His so-called high-level spells might be enough to impress students or novices, but using them in front of someone like Nozer Hawthorne felt like inviting disaster.
"What? Are you looking down on me?" Nozer Hawthorne's eyes narrowed.
"No, no, of course not!" Dean Bruce quickly waved his hand. "It's just that... my spells might come off as a little... childish."
"Childish?" Nozer Hawthorne chuckled. "That's fine. Now I'm curious."
Realizing he couldn't get out of it, Dean Bruce sighed and nodded. "Alright, just one."
He cleared his throat dramatically and began, "Little bunny, open the door, don't open it, I won't go in. Mommy isn't home yet."
After finishing the peculiar incantation, he abruptly stopped and said no more.
"That's it?" Nozer Hawthorne asked, utterly bewildered.
"That's it," Dean Bruce replied with a straight face. "Vice President, take your time pondering it. I'll go gather everyone."
With that, Dean Bruce turned and bolted.
Leaving Nozer Hawthorne muttering to himself as he tried to decipher the bizarre incantation.
Before Nozer Hawthorne could make any sense of it, Dean Bruce returned with reinforcements.
Following Dean Bruce's instructions, everyone began to channel their magic into a collective spell.
Magic power surged forth from each individual, merging into a single focal point. The sacred artifact glowed brilliantly, amplifying their combined efforts.
The unified spell gradually took shape, forming a massive, radiant beam of multicolored light in their hands.
"Fire!"
At Dean Bruce's command, the group unleashed the combined spell toward the Dark Behemoth.
The multicolored light struck the creature, triggering a massive explosion.
The Dark Behemoth roared in agony, its body splitting apart as black magical energy poured out from the cracks.
"This creature..." Nozer Hawthorne's face paled as he stared at the scene in terror. "Could it be the legendary All-Devouring Beast?"
"What's the All-Devouring Beast?" someone asked, their curiosity piqued.
"It's something I've only heard about from some of the elder wizards," Nozer Hawthorne explained. "It's a monstrous entity that once rampaged through the world, committing countless atrocities. Eventually, a mage named Dawn Churchill subdued and sealed it. I never imagined it would resurface now."
Krupp approached Dean Bruce and said, "You came here to address the crisis in the Duchy of Tanya, didn't you? You've done well this time, but this is just the tip of the iceberg of the dark forces' conspiracy."
Dean Bruce asked, "Do you know their plans?"
Krupp nodded. "We've been tracking a dark faction known as Black Hole. They aim to open the Abyss of Darkness, unleashing its power to destroy the entire magical world. The upheaval in the Duchy of Tanya is only one part of their grand scheme."
Black Hole?
Dean Bruce froze for a moment. What kind of faction was this, choosing such a bizarre name?
And their leader... could it possibly be someone equally strange?
"Mr. Krupp, thank you for saving us," Nozer Hawthorne's voice broke Dean Bruce's thoughts. "What should we do next?"
Krupp gazed into the distance. "We must locate Black Hole's headquarters and completely dismantle their plans. But it won't be easy. Their base is hidden in a highly secretive location, fortified with layers of defenses."
Nozer Hawthorne nodded. "No matter what, we can't allow their conspiracy to succeed. We'll join you in your efforts."
Krupp studied them for a moment. "You've just been through a grueling battle. You need to recover your strength. When you're ready, meet us at the center of the Magic Forest. There, you'll find clues leading to Black Hole's headquarters."
With those words, Krupp led his army away.
Dean Bruce watched their retreating figures, his heart ignited with determination.
He turned to his team and said, "Let's return to the guild and rest. Once we've recovered, we'll head to the Magic Forest. We must stop Black Hole's conspiracy!"
The team responded in unison and began making their way toward the Magic Guild.
On the journey back, Dean Bruce couldn't stop thinking about Krupp's words.
He understood clearly that this dark faction was far more formidable than they'd imagined. Defeating them would be no easy task.
Upon returning to the guild, Dean Bruce immediately instructed his team to rest and recover their magical strength.
As for himself, he sought out Tia Nars to relay everything that had happened in the Duchy of Tanya.
After listening, Tia Nars's expression turned grim. "Dean, the boldness of this dark faction is alarming. We must act quickly. I'll select more top-tier members from the guild to join you in the Magic Forest."
During the days leading up to their departure, Dean Bruce didn't remain idle.
He spent hours in the guild's library, poring over ancient magical tomes, searching for any information about the Abyss of Darkness and the dark forces behind Black Hole.
In an old, dust-covered tome, Dean Bruce discovered a few crucial clues.
The book described an ancient magic spell said to temporarily seal the source of dark power. However, it required an immense amount of magical energy and a specific magical artifact to serve as the medium.
Dean Bruce's mind raced. He recalled the magical artifacts he had seen in the ancient castle of the Duchy of Tanya. Perhaps one of those items could be used for the spell.
Wasting no time, he sought out the team members who had participated in the mission at the Duchy. He questioned them about the whereabouts of those magical artifacts.
After a thorough search, they finally unearthed a gem radiating a mysterious light. Judging by its aura, it seemed likely to be the artifact required to perform the spell.
At that moment, Prolo Hawthorne came looking for Dean Bruce, his face alight with excitement. "Master, I've finally grasped the magic you taught me!"
Dean Bruce looked at him, a wave of pride and relief washing over him. "Well done, Prolo. You've made great progress. This time, we're up against an exceptionally powerful dark force. You must be prepared."
Prolo Hawthorne nodded firmly. "Master, I'll fight alongside you. After rescuing my grandfather, I want to do my part to protect the magical world!"