Chapter 243: Group Dispel
A quantitative change leads to a qualitative change. Group enhancement was a commonly used and incredibly powerful magic in warfare.
For example, imagine a swarm of ants, all buffed with a giant-sized spell. The sight of a black tide of giant ants, their sharp mandibles glinting, rushing towards you, the suffocating feeling would make your scalp tingle, your legs weak, and you would be swallowed by the overwhelming force.
So, classifying group enhancement as a strategic-level magic was no exaggeration.
The more targets enhanced, the greater the advantage in war.
“It’s the [Murloc’s Song].”
Vanessa, well-read in history, had also dabbled in some obscure books.
But at this moment, she was also shocked, because this was the first time she had seen a murloc using magic, a strange and unsettling feeling.
“What should we do? Retreat?”
Snow communicated through their mental link.
“Wait a moment.” Vanessa closed her eyes, opening her memory palace, finding a strange ancient book she had read a few years ago.
“The [Murloc’s Song] can greatly enhance the murlocs’ speed, resilience, and combat power, but it also has a weakness…”
Vanessa quickly found a way to break it.
“Compared to other instantaneous group enhancement spells, the [Murloc’s Song] is a continuous, large-scale chanting spell, so as long as we kill the caster, the group enhancement will be broken.”
But there was a problem.
Breaking through a dense army of murlocs was no easy task, especially since each murloc had been enhanced, becoming incredibly strong and resilient.
Snow fell silent.
Retreat or fight?
Logically, retreating was the best option, but if they left these murlocs unchecked, they would eventually reach the surface, and the defenseless people would become their food…
Time was running out.
There was no room for hesitation.
“Fight!”
Snow leaned forward slightly, her posture impeccable, ready to draw her blade.
She silently thought, “Inform Lena, the situation has changed, we need reinforcements.”
“I’ve already informed her!” Vanessa replied quickly.
“How long will it take?”
“Five minutes.”
“Five minutes…”
Snow had a timeframe.
Vanessa couldn’t use her spatial magic to bring reinforcements without accurate coordinates, so all she could do now was hold them off, until Lena’s reinforcements arrived.
It sounded simple, but only those who had faced the overwhelming pressure of a raging tide would understand how difficult it was…
Her palms were sweating, a chill running down her spine.
The number of murlocs was still increasing, each one close to rank five…
But I won’t let you pass!!
Snow guarded the only path to the surface, her silver hair flowing, her gaze calm and cold, focused on the approaching murloc army.
[Desperate Thought – Mountains Turn to Ice]
Her wrist slowly turned…
“Ha~”
A yawn.
Molly stretched, finally waking from her dream, her voice arrogant and lazy. “Humans… always so foolishly arrogant, sacrificing themselves…”
As she spoke, golden flames erupted from her body!
Golden threads danced behind her.
Molly sneered, a bloodthirsty smile on her face. “It’s not over yet, hero, put away your foolish thoughts.”
She punched a charging murloc, its head exploding.
A fist-sized blood ball formed in her hand.
[Blood Shield]
“Indeed, it’s far from over.”
Ka Ka, holding her spear, smiled brightly.
“Every flower blooms to be seen, and I’ve always wanted to witness everyone’s flowers.”
The Dryad was a guardian of nature, possessing the ability to dispel evil and nightmares.
And now, this was her stage!
[Group Dispel]
She swung her spear, her flower crown swaying, a refreshing floral fragrance spreading.
In an instant, the murlocs, under the influence of the [Murloc’s Song], stopped their fearless charge, their skin shriveling, their eyes vacant, their movements slowing, like zombies about to collapse…
“Now!”
Snow’s eyes sharpened.
She drew her blade!
…
By the time Lena arrived, the battle was almost over.
The Murloc Priest, Muggle, had been captured, and the elite murloc warrior, Gawash, had been defeated by Snow, becoming a soul under her blade.
“Well done.”
Hearing the summary, Lena smiled. “I didn’t expect to find the murlocs’ lair, and without a single casualty.”
What could be a better ending than seeing her Doves unharmed?
“It’s all thanks to Ka Ka.”
Tiamat walked over to Lena, tugging at her sleeve. “Master, thanks to Ka Ka’s dispel magic, the crazy murlocs calmed down.”
“Mm, a Dryad’s dispel magic can indeed remove most magic effects, a true specialist.”
Lena thought, if she were to reward them, Ka Ka would get the highest honor.
“Hee hee, I’m not that amazing.”
The little deer girl pranced around, enjoying the praise and attention, especially from her friends.
Molly, her foot on the purple-skinned Muggle’s head, asked Lena, “What should we do with him?”
“Kill him.”
Lena didn’t expect to get any information from Muggle, especially since murlocs and humans didn’t speak the same language.
“Oh, wait!”
“Huh?”
Splat—
Molly had already crushed Muggle’s head, blood splattering everywhere.
“So fast…” Lena’s hand was still raised. “I was just thinking, if this murloc was a high-ranking member of their settlement, we could have used him for something.”
“You didn’t say so earlier!”
She had already killed him.
Molly rolled her eyes, wiping her shoe on the ground.
The fishy smell was disgusting.
She needed a hot bath, and then a long nap.
“Sorry we’re late… ah! You’re already done?!”
Cheryl arrived late.
Sasha and Nicole followed at a leisurely pace, their clothes clean, clearly having not been in a fight.
“So many murlocs, it must have been a tough battle.”
The corpses were piled up, the smell of dead fish thick in the air, the sewer a silent graveyard.
Nicole took out a bottle of shimmering alchemy potion.
“Good thing there’s still some of Eileen’s medicine left…”
She uncorked the bottle, pouring its contents into the cesspool.
“What’s that?”
Angel leaned closer, pinching her nose.
“To accelerate biodegradation,” Nicole said slowly. “If we leave these murloc corpses here, they’ll pollute the environment, using alchemy potions to dispose of them is Eileen’s specialty.”
“So amazing…”
Angel watched with envy.
Her profession only allowed her to heal from the back lines, and Lena didn’t even need her healing, a complete burden.
“Everyone has their strengths, Miss Angel, please don’t be so hard on yourself.”
“No, no, I’m not, I’m just envious…”
Angel waved her hand, her face flushed.
“If you’re dissatisfied with your current situation, Miss Angel, just do it, I’m sure the Boss will support you.”
Nicole left with those words, her shield on her back.
Angel pondered her words…
They returned to the surface.
Lena took a deep breath, the stale air in her lungs replaced by fresh air, her body relaxing. “Are all the Doves here?”
“Yes, Master.”
Daphne reported, everyone present.
She sat in her wheelchair, her gaze fixed on Lena.
“Everyone has some minor injuries, nothing serious.”
“Mm, after all, all the murlocs were in one place.”
Lena stroked her head. “You’ve worked hard too.”
Daphne blushed, lowering her eyes. “It’s my honor to help Master…”
“…Don’t learn from Phoenix, you’re becoming too formal,” Lena teased.
“Ma! ster!”
“Not calling me ‘sister’ anymore?”
“S-sister…”
Daphne covered her face with her hands, her embarrassment evident.
“That’s more like it, ‘sister’ sounds so much better.”
Lena chuckled, her smile like a spring breeze.
“Since everyone is safe, then I’m relieved. Reflect on this battle, and in a few days, I’ll take you out of the city again.”
“Out of the city?”
Daphne blinked.
Lena gently pinched her nose. “You’re very talented, and you learn quickly, but you lack combat experience, which is crucial for reaching your full potential.”
“So I’m planning to have Phoenix take you out hunting, to stock up on winter meat for the Falmouths, to reduce our economic pressure, and also to train your combat skills.”
Lena’s voice wasn’t loud, but it reached every member of the Doves.
They all lowered their heads, some shy, some ashamed.
“I’m not scolding you, but I’m not satisfied with your performance today, especially you, Tiamat.”
“I… I’m sorry, Master…”
Tiamat stepped forward, like a student being reprimanded.
“We’ll talk about this later.”
Lena stared at her for a few seconds, then patted her shoulder and left.
…
A few girls’ laughter echoed in the large bathtub.
Splash.
Tiamat jumped into the water, blowing bubbles.
“Master is so scary… especially when she patted my shoulder, my heart almost jumped out of my chest!”
“Yes, yes, although Master is always smiling, she’s very strict.”
“Don’t talk behind people’s backs.”
Daphne shifted her position.
The water rippled, steam filling the air.
She sighed contentedly, her body warm. “Master is so good to us, we have to meet her expectations…”
“But Daphne, you don’t have to fight.”
“I…”
“Yes, you get to sit in an office all day and earn Master’s favor, while we have to wake up early to train, and then go out hunting, fighting monsters. There’s no comparison.”
“…”
Daphne pursed her lips, not knowing what to say.
Because of her disability, she could only work as a secretary, she couldn’t fight on the battlefield. But to avoid being looked down upon, she worked tirelessly.
However, some thoughtless words were like sharp knives.
Daphne’s mood soured, and she stared at the ripples in the water.
“You! All of you, apologize to Daphne!”
Tiamat grabbed the hair of the one who had spoken, her teeth bared. “Don’t bully Daphne, she works harder than any of you!”
“You ungrateful wretches, you have no right to judge Daphne, you’re all bad people!!”
A sudden outburst, and the bathroom was in chaos.
Water splashed everywhere.
Daphne couldn’t hold back the enraged Tiamat, and she shouted for help. By the time Lena arrived, the child Tiamat had been holding was unconscious.
“She just swallowed some water, she’ll be fine, take her to the infirmary, a little treatment.”
After giving instructions, Lena looked at Tiamat calmly.
“Couldn’t wait to be reprimanded, so you caused a scene?”
“I’m sorry, Master…”
“Sigh…”
Lena was truly frustrated.
She wasn’t even middle-aged yet, and she was already dealing with a bunch of children.
But she had to, they were Mines’s children.
“Sister, Tiamat was just defending me, it’s my fault.”
Daphne, now dressed, stood before Lena. “Please don’t blame Tiamat, blame me, sister.”
“Hmm? Shifting the blame? You sisters are in this together, how do I know what you’re thinking?” Lena scoffed.
This wasn’t a big deal, but it wasn’t a small matter either.
Tiamat standing up for Daphne was understandable, but Lena couldn’t tolerate infighting, she had to nip it in the bud.
After all, that’s how it had been in her past life.
Her carefully cultivated Doves, fighting amongst themselves?
Lena would clip their wings and let them fend for themselves…
“You know what you did.”
“…Master!”
Tiamat was filled with remorse.
She looked at Daphne, then gritted her teeth and chased after Lena.
“Master, Master, wait for me…”
She chirped like a little sparrow, calling for its mother.
In the snow, her wings wet, she followed Lena relentlessly, afraid of being abandoned.
“Master… I’m sorry… waaaah…”
“You know you were wrong?”
Lena stopped, turning around, and Tiamat crashed into her arms, then quickly pulled away, wiping her tears.
Her pitiful appearance, no one would associate her with the fierce girl from before.
Lena wiped away her tears. “No infighting, and no fighting with your companions, understand?”
“But what if they bully Daphne again…?”
Tiamat sobbed, her fiery red hair making her seem even smaller, like a red fur ball.
“Stupid! So stupid and naive! If they insult you, can’t you insult them back? If they’re being sarcastic, can’t you be sarcastic back? Do you think beating them up will stop them from talking behind your back? Violence can solve the problem temporarily, but it can’t cure the root cause!!”
Lena scolded her.
Tiamat stared blankly.
It was the first time she had seen Lena so angry, her gray eyes filled with disappointment, and also concern.
This was probably the burden of being an adult…
