A mass of nebula crashed down from the sky like an enraged beast, its immense gravitational explosion seeming to drag even the shadowy aura in the air into it.
Viktor instantly turned into a wisp of drifting wind, weaving through the air like a ghost.
His figure moved like a dream, avoiding the core of the impact, then hovering above the nebula, magic flowing in his hands like a gentle stream.
The magic surging from Viktor's body was like a deep ocean, violently churning over this collapsing land.
The surrounding air grew restless, rising and falling like waves, as if it could overturn at any moment.
A vast surge of magic flickered from Viktor's hand, slowly wrapping around his body.
The abundant magic began to circulate, layers upon layers of intricate and complex magic circles spinning behind him.
In the next second, the magic circles stopped rotating. Spears gleaming with cold light tore through the heavy darkness in the air, instantly illuminating the entire illusory world.
[Fourth-Tier Magic: Light-Sealing Spear]
Several spears shot out like meteors, their shining trajectories accurately piercing toward Saint Gali's hardened steel armor.
Clang!
The light spears struck the steel armor at the same time, but their immense force failed to penetrate that unbreakable defense.
Not a single scratch was left on the armor. Only the bursting light slowly dimmed, disappearing into the darkness.
A thoughtful look appeared in Viktor's eyes. Although the magic had not caused much damage to Saint Gali, his expression remained calm as still water.
Everything was within his expectations.
As a general blessed by the stars, even as a spirit, Saint Gali was extraordinarily powerful.
And Viktor had experienced this kind of difficult, uneven battle more than once.
Just as he was about to cast his next spell, an iron whip came crashing down like a falling meteor, tearing through the air with fierce momentum.
Viktor immediately stepped on the surging waves of magic beneath him and shot rapidly into the sky.
The flowing iron whip carried the aura of a nebula, slicing through the waves of magic and exploding into a spray.
As Viktor ascended, Saint Gali swiftly swung his halberd, preparing to launch a fierce attack upward.
Whoosh!
The space seemed to be torn apart by immense force. Purple stellar magic poured out like a waterfall.
Viktor bent low, narrowly avoiding the horizontal slash that swept past his eyes.
He calmly snapped his fingers, and crimson flames burst from the scattered spray.
[Fourth-Tier Magic: Waterborne Blaze]
The shattered waves instantly turned into red embers. The surging sea of fire rushed toward the sky full of stars, and their collision created a massive shockwave.
Stars and flames intertwined completely, as if the heavens and earth were collapsing.
Violent shockwaves slammed in all directions, tearing the floating nebula rocks into countless fragments.
Even the deep black holes seemed to tremble, and the surrounding light warped and twisted.
Viktor lightly spun his body and landed steadily on the ground shrouded in darkness.
Magic leapt once again at his fingertips like meteors in the night.
Twisting patterns took shape in the darkness, like a galaxy beneath the sky, streaking across the shattered and collapsing void.
Azure magic nourished his fingertips, and comet-like streaks seemed to break free from the formation.
They transformed into a giant eagle with spread wings, soaring through the sky, leaving behind a long, flowing silver trail.
[Fourth-Tier Magic: Comet Current]
The azure magic swirled several times, like a storm being stirred, then slammed fiercely into one of the arms on Saint Gali's massive body.
BOOM!
Pure magic struck the giant hand, and the illusory arm wrapped in nebula slightly recoiled.
The armor on Saint Gali's body trembled faintly, like distant stars shaking.
But soon, the giant steadied itself and once again brought down a massive blade filled with stardust.
Bang!
Viktor's figure traced an elegant arc, skillfully avoiding the descending blade.
It missed him by mere centimeters, a strike that could have landed at any moment.
The air surged. His coat billowed behind him like a churning dark waterfall, countless intricate magic patterns interweaving across it.
The nebula scattered as if split by the giant blade, and the dark aura, like a pack of wild wolves in the night, rolled into endless black holes along with murky stardust.
Just as Viktor had said, as long as Saint Gali touched him even once, he would lose.
However, although this fallen star general's attacks carried the force to shatter heaven and earth, he simply could not touch Viktor.
Viktor activated various elements to weave protective layers while sketching formations in the air, quietly preparing his magic.
Within the vortex of battle, he searched for the chance to secure Viktory.
In the midst of the fight, a familiar hoarse voice sounded in Viktor's mind.
It was Vega's voice.
Viktor moved like a spark breaking from its shell. While casting Comet Current at Saint Gali's stardust-filled body, he rapidly analyzed the situation in his mind.
It seemed Aurelian had run into trouble.
But everything happening there was within his expectations.
He had brought Priscilla, the vampire, here precisely to protect Aurelian.
Priscilla's potential was like a seed hidden within a shell. Even though it had not yet sprouted, it held endless possibilities.
Her vampire power was unfathomable, something even she herself could not fully control.
No one knew just how strong she was now.
Laurien had exchanged his own life for the lifespan of a million citizens of Shurban.
That vitality, though each portion was as insignificant as dust, was astonishing in sheer quantity.
Under the nourishment of this million-year blood energy, Priscilla had evolved into the most perfect vampire.
So powerful that even direct bloodline vampires paled in comparison.
And now, she was like a sealed suit of armor containing endless treasure, unaware of how to draw out her own potential.
So at this stage, she could not even unleash one percent of her body's true power.
However, today's main goal was still to help Aurelian overcome her fear of the undead.
'Need my help?', A voice echoed in Viktor's mind at the same time.
While dodging, Viktor responded to Vega, "If the situation becomes urgent, you can act."
"But don't forget the purpose of this trip."
From the other end of his mind came Vega's sharp laughter, the image of his beak opening appearing in Viktor's thoughts.
'Got it.'
'I love doing this kind of thing the most.'
As soon as the words fell, the laughter cut off abruptly, like a snapped string on a lute.
At the same moment, a double-headed axe tore through the air in front of Viktor.
The force it carried ripped through the air, violently disturbing the land and kicking up a storm of towering dark rock.
Sensing that turning into an element would not allow him to evade, Viktor instantly awakened the sleeping power within his staff.
[Great Prosperity]
The name of the skill flashed through his mind like golden text.
The staff began to undergo subtle changes. Countless patterned markings spread densely across his body like tangled vines.
A golden aura flowed through his arms, surging along the tight lines of his muscles, uncontrollably spreading throughout his entire body.
Feeling his body expand under the influence of magic, Viktor immediately activated the wood element with his right hand.
He formed a solid wooden sword and swung it like lightning.
At the moment the blade collided with the giant axe, sparks exploded in all directions, dazzling flashes of light flickering rapidly before Viktor's eyes.
An instant of [Perfect Block].
Viktor was knocked back several meters, but remained unharmed.
The sudden surge of power temporarily allowed him to withstand the attack.
But activating Great Prosperity instantly drained his mana to zero, and for a certain period of time, he could not cancel the effect of the skill.
So now, although Viktor still had physical strength left, he could not use magic for the time being and could only wait for Great Prosperity to go on cooldown.
Even if he frantically drank mana potions at this moment, he still could not recover his magic.
But Viktor had already taken a mana potion during a brief opening.
As for why...
It was because after Great Prosperity ended, the mana restored by previously consumed potions would return together with his prior mana pool to the user.
And this effect could stack.
One mana potion was not enough to fully restore his mana, but by using the skill's mechanism, he could take the opportunity to drink several more.
When it all converted back, it would restore him to his fullest state.
As for now…
Viktor lowered the staff in his left hand.
Since the skill had already been activated, he would make full use of it.
Otherwise, letting it go to waste would be a crime.
At this moment, Viktor held his sword with both hands, his entire body radiating immense elemental power.
And Saint Gali raised all his weapons, smashing them down mercilessly toward Viktor.
Clang! Clang!
Viktor's coat shimmered with the flow of elements, his figure swift and fierce across the shattered dark ground.
He perfectly blocked every terrifying attack that fell.
Sparks scattered, like red starlight raining down in the night.
After all the weapons were deflected by Viktor, Saint Gali's body tilted slightly backward.
After a brief daze, he used his remaining strength to recall his weapons.
Seizing the opening, Viktor leapt up and swung his sword toward the exhausted enemy.
But Saint Gali instantly abandoned his weapons, swiftly raising a giant fist and striking toward Viktor's waist.
In the next second, a round shield flowing with dark energy and flashing crimson eyes appeared at Viktor's waist, blocking the terrifying blow.
Almost simultaneously, Viktor's body turned into an element, transforming into flames that wrapped around the giant fist.
Saint Gali felt a moment of dizziness. In that less-than-a-second window, he could not respond to Viktor's attack.
Seizing the gap, Viktor restored his form.
He swung the wooden sword, and a glowing green-brown blade of light slashed out instantly, striking hard at the joint of Saint Gali's arm.
Whoosh!
The green arc passed through, cutting the blue threads that snapped instantly. That nebula arm lost its control.
The arm began to shake, turning into illusory starlight that gradually dissipated into the endless night sky.
Saint Gali's vitality suddenly dropped, an entire segment vanishing from its source in an instant, while a more frenzied light flashed in his eyes.
A blood-red ripple flowed across the cold steel armor, and the churning nebula became even more violent and ferocious than before.
Taking advantage of the moment, Viktor extended his right hand alone.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Spears, blades, halberds...
Weapons like an entire arsenal continuously formed in his hand, fiercely bombarding Saint Gali's chest, producing a chaotic clash of metal sounds.
Enraged by the countless attacks, Saint Gali let out a roar that echoed through the steel-like space, making him seem even more ruthless and cold.
Viktor, however, focused on his own state.
At this moment, Saint Gali was about to unleash a major attack.
The surrounding starry sky seemed to respond to a summons. Black holes began to flow rapidly, tearing apart countless massive rocks.
From within those rocks, thousands upon thousands of strands of dark matter energy seemed to burst forth, surging into the sky above the circular land.
Viktor raised his head, looking at the boundless, terrifying cloud mass.
[Falling Star]
In the next second, a massive nebula hand tore through the clouds from the darkness.
Dark power surged into the land like tides from a shadowy sea, lifting vast starlight.
Black glimmers rose slowly, and within the dim space echoed a power that did not belong to this world.
Black holes twisted, space was completely torn apart, and pitch-black drifting energy swept across the land.
Obsidian light unleashed terrifying shockwaves. This illusory space surged with dreadful power, swallowing the entire frozen starry sky.
Finally, when the dark shockwaves gradually faded, the entire space fell into stillness.
Saint Gali's gaze fixed on the black nebula, as if he had already accepted his final Viktory.
But suddenly, his star-piercing vision locked onto that patch of purple mist.
A bright star emerged from the purple clouds, accompanied by a coat wrapped in countless heavy elements, appearing before him.
The wooden sword in Viktor's hand had vanished without a trace, replaced by the black-glowing staff in his grip.
Facing Viktor, Saint Gali felt a trace of confusion.
He had clearly been on the ground just moments ago. How had he suddenly appeared in the sky, and even avoided that attack?
"You are indeed very strong.", Viktor replied in a calm tone.
Saint Gali did not know that Great Prosperity's cooldown had already ended, and through power conversion, Viktor had returned to being a mage.
He had torn open space with elemental flash, teleporting into the sky.
And by using the brief invincibility frame from tearing space, he had avoided that terrifying attack.
But now...
Because he had taken several more mana potions during the downtime, Viktor's mana had fully replenished.
Although it wasn't as much as Vega's, a fifth-tier mana reserve was more than enough for Viktor.
Looking at the giant before him, a terrifying purple element flowed across Viktor's coat behind him.
The air filled with dark purple ashes began to tremble slightly, sharp arcs of lightning flickering in the sky.
In Viktor's eyes, it was as if countless terrifying bolts of thunder were surging.
"Unfortunately, I know you inside out."
The moment his words fell, countless purple lightning bolts flashed into existence high in the sky, rapidly circling above.
Like several dragons twisting through the void.
In the next second, the terrifying purple within the churning black nebula grew restless.
Dozens of massive, chaotic lightning spears descended from the sky, like raging dragons crashing into the void, piercing stars and plunging into black holes.
The chaotic lightning descended like roaring beasts in a forest, flooding this chaotic land like a surging tide.
[War Magic: Ten-Thousand-Foot Thunder that Calls the Falling Star]