In an instant, a massive root system erupted within Curio’s body. He screamed and thrashed, desperate to break free, but more giant roots surged upward—each over ten meters thick, all part of the Tree of Wisdom’s living essence.
All around them, swarms of Abyssal creatures attacked, but Anderson and his group handled it with surprising ease.
In the distance, the fierce melee between the Flame Elemental Dragon, Curio, and the Hell Minotaur was almost at its end.
When the Elven Dirge was stained a mournful, dusky red, it felt as if the world's ancient power was stirring awake—a force long dormant, now trembling on the edge of rebirth.
The earth kept trembling, and even the branch they stood on shivered. All evil was swiftly purified, but at the edge of the Abyss, the cleansing light halted—within, darkness reigned; beyond, lush greenery flourished.
Leon’s hand moved faster, inscribing the array, sweat dripping from his brow, while Jeremy’s fear grew by the second.
At first, Jeremy believed the Elven Dirge was an impossible feat, so he hadn’t worried at all.
Countless blades of grass, moss, and saplings broke through the once-barren ground and cliffs. Air began to stir—the world, heavy and silent, seemed to breathe again, life flickering where only death had lingered.
“Leon, let me go! I swear I’ll never bother you again. My father won’t come after you either. Whatever your plans for the Dark Elf Clan, I no longer care—just please, let me go…”
Jeremy’s terror grew; he couldn’t help but start begging. But Leon didn’t even look up, completely ignoring him. No matter how Jeremy screamed, Leon’s eyes stayed icy cold as ever.
Slowly, the Elven Dirge was almost complete. A faint glow seemed to settle over the ground, and the blood Jeremy had shed no longer just traced the lines of the alchemical array—it began to fuse with it.
His skin turned to ash and scattered, revealing shriveled, dry muscle beneath—which also withered away, drifting into oblivion.
Elsa’s face showed shock and fear—she simply couldn’t believe it had actually worked!
“Impossible! How could a human possibly complete the Elven Dirge? Doesn’t it require the caster to sacrifice themselves willingly?”
Elsa’s words were the final straw that broke Jeremy’s last hope.
Despair filled Jeremy’s eyes. He had lost all pride as a Dark Elf, his screams and pleas echoing his hopelessness.
“Lord Merlin, I’m begging you, please… please let me go…”
“Master Merlin, I beg you, let me down—I don’t want to die! Whatever you ask, I’ll do it, anything at all…”
Duncan’s hollow eye sockets revealed nothing but endless hatred, rage, and pain—a void where hope had long since vanished.
Anderson drifted into the air, floating right in front of Jeremy’s despairing face. All three of his faces wore mocking grins.
"Idiot. Let me tell you, if Merlin wants you dead, it doesn’t matter who you are, what your background is, or how strong you are—you’re done for. No one can save you, and don’t expect Merlin to show mercy. You make your own luck, and you’ve pissed him off for good. Well, good luck—maybe you’ll survive. Who knows…"
Anderson cackled, and Jeremy’s mind finally snapped. Despair swallowed him whole. Below, Leon stood up—the Elven Dirge was complete.
A faint light appeared, and Jeremy’s blood began to seep into every corner of the Elven Dirge.
When the Elven Dirge was stained a mournful, dusky red, it felt like the world’s power itself was awakening at that moment.
The alchemical array burst with blinding light, enveloping Jeremy’s screaming form. Then the light shone downward, and the branches of the Tree of Wisdom emerged.
Nature’s power was unleashed—and nowhere was stronger than here. The Tree of Wisdom’s strength surged, and shafts of heavenly light poured down, illuminating all of Nightfall Gorge.
The black ice that had covered Nightfall Gorge began to vanish rapidly. All the evil forces coating the ground and cliffs couldn’t even resist—they were instantly driven away.
Countless blades of grass, moss, and saplings sprouted from the once-barren ground and cliffs. Air began to move—the stifling, lifeless world seemed to burst into life.
The earth shook violently. Thick branches burst from below, writhing like giant serpents.
A Frost Demon was struck by one of the huge roots, sent flying. In midair, its body shifted from black to blue, then shattered into a shower of icy blue light.
Endless light rained down as countless evil Water Elementals, turned black by corruption, began to tremble violently. From beneath each one, blue blossoms sprouted, and shoots and branches burst from their bodies. In moments, the Water Elementals were forcefully purified and transformed into nourishment for the growing plants.
Off in the distance, Curio felt the Abyssal power being steadily cleansed—even the frost was melting fast. The whole world seemed to be awakening as the Tree of Wisdom’s power surged.
Curio was utterly enraged.
Ignoring his own wounds, Curio grabbed the Hell Minotaur and tore it in half. He then unleashed another Eternal Frost, freezing the Flame Elemental Dragon into a massive ice sculpture, and charged at the Elven Dirge like a madman.
But it was already too late…
Everywhere, plants sprang up at breakneck speed. Huge roots and branches burst from the ground—one, dozens of meters thick, smashed into Curio.
Curio’s battered ice armor shattered instantly, and cracks began to spread across his body of black ice.
Curio’s massive form staggered backward, retreating more than a hundred meters. Then, a root as thick as a building burst from the ground beneath him, brutally impaling his body.
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Visibly, the root that had pierced Curio’s body began sprouting buds at lightning speed, instantly splitting into dozens of smaller roots.
In an instant, a massive root system grew inside Curio’s body. He screamed and thrashed, trying to break free, but more giant roots burst from the ground—each one over ten meters thick, all part of the Tree of Wisdom’s true form.
This power was so immense it was as if the Tree of Wisdom itself had intervened—even a tiny fraction of its strength was more than Curio could ever hope to escape.
Curio roared in frustration, but his strength drained away, his magic sucked up by the roots as if he were nothing but fertilizer.
The same fate befell the Abyssal creatures—roots pierced their bodies, and in the blink of an eye, whether evil Water Elemental or Frost Demon, they became food for the growing plants.
The earth kept trembling, and even the branch they stood on shook. All evil was swiftly purified, but at the edge of the Abyss, the cleansing light stopped—inside, evil reigned; outside, lush greenery flourished.
The moment Curio was suppressed, Leon dashed for the Teleportation Array.
Deep in the Abyss, Duncan pressed his hands to the Heart of Constantine, flames blazing in his eyes as he roared in frustration at the scene.
When Duncan saw Curio completely suppressed in a single instant, unable to resist at all, his body began to tremble and the black mist swirling around him started to dissipate.
His connection to the Heart of Constantine grew weaker, the flow of power between them fading until it finally broke.
Duncan pulled his hands away from the Heart of Constantine, and in that instant, he let out a howl of pain.
Starting from his hands, Duncan’s flesh vanished at terrifying speed—even his clothes crumbled to dust in an instant.
His skin turned to ash and scattered, revealing shriveled, dry muscle beneath—which also withered away and disappeared.
The flesh on his limbs vanished fastest, leaving only ghastly white bones. His organs tumbled out, turning to ash before they even hit the ground.
Roar...
A howl of pain and fury burst from Duncan’s mouth. He floated in midair, now a skeletal figure, with only the Heart of Constantine still beating inside him—its rhythm perfectly matching Constantine’s own heart.
Duncan doubled over in agony, then forced himself upright, swinging his arms and roaring.
Endless black smoke poured from Duncan’s body. With each agonized scream, torrents of Abyssal Runes erupted from his mouth.
Countless Abyssal Runes and thick, evil smoke converged, a tidal wave of magical energy surging forth.
Duncan’s hollow eye sockets showed nothing but endless hatred, rage, and pain.
His overwhelming emotions fueled his magic—the Ashen Orc’s innate spellcasting ability flared to life. Duncan commanded the Abyssal Runes and smoke to gather above the Abyss.
Suddenly, twelve black vortices appeared, swelling rapidly as smoke and Abyssal Runes poured in.
In mere seconds, twelve gigantic Abyssal Gates, each dozens of meters tall, formed in midair.
Abyssal energy burst out from these twelve sinister Abyssal Gates, colliding with the natural energy in the air.
Thunder crackled where the two energies met, shattering the newly grown plants near the Abyss.