150 THE BATTLE
Amid the chaos, Ma-Shi rushed toward Bael, his hand crackling with potent energy that radiated outward in a focused beam. Bael reacted swiftly, extending his skeletal hand, which morphed into a shield to intercept the attack.
"You will not defeat me in my realm!" Bael roared, his voice echoing through the darkened skies.
Before the energy dissipated, another beam of destructive power hurtled toward Bael. With no time to spare, he summoned a second skeletal hand to deflect the attack.
His defenses were now split, facing the combined onslaught of two peak-tier Svad mages.
"You cannot hold out for long under our combined assault. We are all at the peak of Svad. It's only a matter of time before you fall," Egger declared, his tone sharp and confident.
Though the realm's magic amplified Bael's strength, the relentless attacks of two peak-tier Svads began to erode his advantage. Yet, despite the overwhelming odds, he held his ground, his defenses unyielding.
"We can't bring him down quickly enough," Ma-Shi grumbled, frustration clear in his voice.
"The demon army has been recalled," Egger warned. "They'll be here soon. We have to finish this now."
Ma-Shi's eyes lit with a sudden idea. "Yun-Yun, kill the demon," he demanded, turning to the enigmatic figure.
Yun-Yun's expression remained calm, almost indifferent. "This is not my battle," she replied coolly.
"If you help us, we can reinstate your position as the leader of the Cloud Mountain Sect. We'll even help you rebuild it," Ma-Shi promised, desperation seeping into his voice.
Yun-Yun hesitated, her sharp mind weighing the offer, but she remained motionless, her decision unclear.
"Where is Leo?" Petunia asked suddenly, her eyes scanning the battlefield.
"Try calling him," Yun-Yun suggested without emotion.
Petunia quickly sent a message to Leo. To her surprise, he responded. "He's near us," she announced, her heart racing with renewed determination.
------
Suddenly, the sky darkened, and sharp forms began to manifest, transforming into enormous swords that hurtled toward Bael and his shamans with deadly intent.
On the side of the shamans, a massive skeletal hand rose from the earth, summoned by their collective magic, meeting the conjured swords in a deafening clash.
Ma-Shi wasted no time, rushing toward Bael with his hand radiating powerful energy. He unleashed it in a focused blast. Bael countered, conjuring a skeletal shield from his hand to block the attack.
"You will not defeat me in my realm!" Bael roared, his voice resonating with fury.
Another beam of energy shot toward Bael, forcing him to summon a second skeletal hand to defend himself. Now his defenses were divided, struggling against the relentless assault of two peak-tier Svad mages.
"You cannot hold out much longer," Egger taunted. "We are all at the peak of Svad. It's only a matter of time before you fall."
Though Bael's strength was bolstered by the realm's magic, the combined efforts of his opponents were wearing him down. Yet, he held firm, his defenses unwavering.
"We can't bring him down quickly enough," Ma-Shi said, his frustration mounting.
"The demon army is returning," Egger warned. "If they arrive, our advantage will be lost. We must act now."
An idea struck Ma-Shi. "Yun-Yun, kill the demon," he ordered.
Yun-Yun's eyes narrowed, her tone cold. "This is not my battle."
"If you help us, we'll reinstate you as the leader of the Cloud Mountain Sect. We'll even help you rebuild it," Ma-Shi promised.
Yun-Yun hesitated, her sharp mind calculating the offer.
Finally, she made her move, rushing toward the battlefield with Petunia. But instead of attacking Bael, the pair headed straight for the jade coffin.
"Why target the jade coffin?" Egger asked, confused.
"It may be the source of the demon's power. If I destroy it, his strength will diminish," Yun-Yun replied.
"No! You will not touch my coffin!" Bael roared, his skeletal frame trembling with rage.
"You may be onto something," Ma-Shi said to Yun-Yun. "But hurry, we don't have much time."
Yun-Yun and Petunia reached the jade coffin. Petunia peered inside. "He's in there," she whispered.
"Right. Let's find a way to get him out," Yun-Yun replied.
She agreed to help Ma-Shi only to reach the coffin and rescue Leo. Otherwise, she would have never involved herself with the Hunter Association.
Yun-Yun examined the magic sealing the jade coffin but quickly realized its complexity. "This coffin is unbreakable," she cried out to the hunters.
"Handle it yourself! We're all occupied here!" Egger shouted back.
Petunia turned to Yun-Yun, panic in her voice. "What now? Even the hunters don't know how to break it."
Desperate, she messaged Leo for guidance. His response was immediate: "Let the Skeleton King break through." Petunia relayed the message to Yun-Yun.
Yun-Yun glanced at the sky, noting the weakening of Heaven's Cage. "I need more magic to cast a spell," she shouted to Ma-Shi.
Ma-Shi hesitated, weighing the risks. The battle was at a stalemate. If the demon army returned, their situation would worsen.
"What do you need from me?" Ma-Shi asked.
"The Orb of Elevation," Yun-Yun demanded.
The Orb of Elevation was a last-resort weapon of the Hunter Association, capable of greatly enhancing a mage's power. However, its use came at a cost: the mage's magic would regress significantly afterward.
Ma-Shi deliberated but ultimately relented. After all, Yun-Yun would bear the consequences, not him.
"Fine. Take it," Ma-Shi said, tossing the glowing orb to her.
Yun-Yun caught it and crushed it, absorbing its immense power. Her magic surged as she cast a spell that darkened the sky once more. Another colossal sword materialized above.
"Yes! Strike the demon with it!" Ma-Shi shouted eagerly.
"This will end the battle quickly," Egger added.
"No! You cannot do this to me! I am not your enemy!" Bael cried out.
"Are you not? Then swear you will not harm me or my companions," Yun-Yun demanded.
"I swear," Bael promised.
Ma-Shi and Egger exchanged puzzled looks, unsure of what was happening. The sword descended, but instead of striking Bael, it split in two, targeting Ma-Shi and Egger.