55 seconds.
The moment I utilized my mana for the spell, sharp pain shot out throughout my entire body.
But this had happened many times already that at this point I was able to endure it.
50 seconds.
My limbs started to tremble, overwhelmed by the intense pressure put on my mana vessel.
I could not give in yet.
I just finished forging the foundation for my spell.
45 seconds.
Whoosh!
The trails of fire flowing around me began to rage and spun wildly.
I could feel my insides breaking apart.
40 seconds.
['Shanny (★)' has been inflicted with bleeding. Her stamina will be reduced for a period of time.]
A harpy managed to claw Shanny's back.
Jonah quickly came to her aid.
"Keep your back to Serafina's shield so it stays protected. Just push the monsters away! I'll handle the enemies at the front!"
He told her.
35 seconds.
Thump!
Intense dizziness struck my head. I almost broke the formula calculation for my spell.
'No! Stay focus! We're almost there!'
I desperately thought to myself.
30 seconds.
I felt the fire around me surging intensely.
My whole body started to float to the air.
I closed my eyes to focus on the spell formulation.
25 seconds.
['Jonah (★)' has been inflicted with bleeding. His stamina will be reduced for a period of time.]
My bones were shattering. My flesh was tearing apart.
I suffered through the agony while hearing the sound of my comrades' weapons clashing against the enemies.
['Serafina (★★★★)' has obtained the skill, 'Mana Overflow Resistance'!]
20 seconds.
Ping! Ping!
I sensed dozens of arrows clashed and got deflected by my shield.
The monsters were starting to realize how much of a threat I was turning to be.
['Jonah (★)'s Projectile Defense has levelled up to level 2!]
15 seconds.
Kroaahh!!!
The ogres were roaring not far from us.
The rumble of their giant steps echoed throughout the forest and trembled the bedrock we were standing on.
10 seconds.
['Shanny (★)' is on the brink of death. Her life is in danger!]
['Jonah (★)'s Basic Spearmanship has levelled up to level 6!]
While streams of blood were pouring out of my mouth, I opened my eyes and gazed at the heaven's above.
The sky was turning crimson and the dark clouds were swirling right above me like an ocean maelstrom.
['Serafina (★★★★)' has been inflicted with bleeding. Her stamina will be reduced for a period of time.]
5 seconds.
Crash!
The ogres were stepping into the firewall.
While their whole bodies raging with fire, the giants stared down at us as if we were their next feast.
We were.
4 seconds.
Drenched in dark blood, Jonah firmly raised his spear against the tremendous horde of enemies, guarding Shanny who had collapsed behind him.
['Jonah (★)'s Composure has levelled up to level 2!]
3 seconds.
Right now we were stuck in hell.
Not a Third Circle spell nor a Fourth Circle one could make us escape it.
[In the face of situation that tests the heroes' limits, the heroes' souls are being awakened!]
2 seconds.
Only by pitting two hells against each other that we could free ourselves.
['Serafina (★★★★)'s Intermediate Fire Magic has levelled up twice to level 8!]
1 second.
Fifth Circle.
[Maha Naraka]
With my blood-stained lips I named the spell.
[Ignite]
The raging fire around me blasted up to the sky, unleashing incredible shockwave which sent the monsters surrounding us thrown all over the forest.
The fire formed into a blazing pillar which vanished beyond the swirling clouds and turned the sky even more crimson, as if blood had soaked the heaven.
[Dominate]
As if apocalypse had dawned itself, a dozen fire tornadoes descended from the sky and burned through the whole forest.
All the goblins, wolves, harpies and ogres were engulfed by the spinning pillars of flames charging throughout the land.
Once the entire forest had turned into a sea of fire, the blazing tornadoes dissipated into thin air, allowing the raging storm to ensue.
Having done casting my spell, I fell to the ground.
I wasted no time to rush to my comrades.
"Run!"
Jonah who was mesmerized by the calamitous spell suddenly woke up.
"R-right behind you!"
He quickly grabbed Shanny and carried her on his back once more.
The three of us began running through the burning forest.
Kroaahh!!!
Kekeke!
Howl!
Kreee!
The screams of the monsters resounded wildly throughout the blazing scenery.
They were all burning and disoriented by the great flames raging through the field.
"Don't bother about the monsters! Just run straight to the shining object!"
I told Jonah.
Crash! Crumble!
We ran and ran. Avoiding falling trees and crumbling rocks while also treading through muddy ground.
"Urgh…Th..se…bast..ards…"
Shanny mumbled as we were escaping.
"Stay with us, Shanny! We're almost there! We're going back!"
Jonah shouted at her.
Shanny had suffered several fatal wounds.
Her right hand had been severed and her left leg was riddled with bleeding holes.
And yet she managed to maintain consciousness.
Whooshh!
['Jonah (★)'s Fire Resistance has levelled up to level 2!]
['Shanny (★)'s Fire Resistance has levelled up to level 2!]
As we traversed forward, the fire was raging even wilder.
If I was not a fire mage and these two did not learn fire resistance, we would had been burned alive.
Ping!
Shuck!
"Argh!"
A sharp pain struck my back.
['Serafina (★★★★)' has been inflicted with bleeding. Her stamina will be reduced for a period of time.]
An arrow just hit me, shot by a goblin a few distance to our side, a half-second before a burning tree collapsed on the monster.
"Serafina!"
"Don't worry about me and just keep running!"
Jonah understood perfectly this was no time for us to be stopping.
We continued our dash through the fiery scenery.
Kroaahhh!!!
Several ogres caught up to us.
Their entire bodies had burned up, revealing their charred flesh.
Despite that they were still eager to chase us.
[Davah Shashanam]
I compressed my vessel and expended the last trickle of my mana to bring the many burning trees behind us collapsing on the ogres.
Just as I was about to continue running, a great pain emerged from my chest.
Thump!
"Ack!"
I fell to my knees. My mouth coughed up a pool of blood.
The mana overflow symptom was worsening.
I felt the light draining from my eyes.
['Serafina (★★★★)' is experiencing mana overflow.]
Before I lost all my strength and collapsed, I felt a firm hand grabbing my arm and pulling me up.
"Come, Miss Witch! We're not leaving you behind!"
Jonah encouraged me.
I grabbed his hand and rose to my feet again.
"Go! I'll be right behind you!"
I told him.
We continued on with Jonah taking the lead, navigating through the burning trees and drenched muddy ground.
I did my best to ignore the pain all over my body from experiencing mana overflow, as well as the terrible exhaustion that threatened to paralyze my knees.
Acknowledging either would be the death of me.
Shinnnggg!
Suddenly a bright light was piercing our eyes from afar.
It was none other than the shining object we were aiming at.
"There it is!"
Jonah shouted.
Kekeke!
Howl!
Kreee!
Kroaahhh!
At the same time, countless burning monsters were coming at us from behind like a flame tsunami.
"Run!"
I urged my comrade.
We stomped the ground really hard and sprinted toward the light.
The enemies were swift in pursuit.
We jumped over burning logs, charging through raging bushes, stepping over crumbling rocks.
We ran to the shining object in a complete straight line, no detours.
"St..op..chas..ing…us…fil..thy…ass..h..oles…"
Shanny kept on mumbling. Barely keeping her consciousness.
"Just a little farther, Shanny! Just a little farther!"
Jonah encouraged her.
The monsters were fiercely pursuing us.
A burning wolf was suddenly speeding to us from our side.
It was aiming straight at Jonah who was carrying Shanny, leaving him vulnerable.
The raging wolf leaped and displayed its deadly fangs, ready to maul Jonah and Shanny altogether.
Without hesitation I snatched Jonah's spear from his hand and thrusted the weapon on the beast's head.
Krrchh!
The wolf dropped lifeless to the ground with the spear still stuck on it.
"Keep running!"
I shouted at Jonah.
We continued on leaving the weapon behind.
Though we managed to fend off the monster, many more were still chasing us from behind.
They were only less than ten steps behind us.
The moment we stopped for a second, they would catch up to us immediately.
Kroaahh!!!
An ogre suddenly stampeded ahead of the rest of the horde.
This time we could not stop the enemy.
Our deaths would be sealed once the giant caught us.
Jonah and I kept our gazes forward, toward the shinning object.
Crash!
Dun!
Crash!
We sensed the ogre approaching rapidly, tearing the ground apart on its wake.
Its huge shadow was moving right by us.
Kroaahhh!!!
"Jump!"
I screamed at Jonah.
Before the ogre could snatch us with its hands, Jonah and I leaped forward, landing ourselves right in front of the shining object.
It was at that moment that the whole world stopped.
The crumbling forest and the charging monsters, all froze up as if time had halted.
"What's happening?"
Jonah asked while laying Shanny to his side.
I looked around and landed my gaze on the shining object.
It turned out to be the statue of the twin goddesses that was carved on the giant stone gate back in the forged land.
A hovering slim black box suddenly appeared before us. Each of us.
Texts were written on it.
[Stage Clear!]
['Serafina (★★★★)', 'Jonah (★)', 'Shanny (★)' levelled up!]
[MVP – 'Serafina (★★★★)']
[Reward – 30,000G, Iron Ore (B) x3, Leather (C) x2, Wooden Planks (B) x3]