The dark energy impact collided with a Lightning Ball, creating a roar.
In the next moment, a Silver Knight Spear flew out from the thick mist.
The four-tailed black panther, having just finished its energy attack, was in a weakened state. It had no time to dodge and could only watch as the attack was about to land on its body.
"Attack Deflection!"
Quin Essey raised his left hand. Every finger was adorned with a magic ring, and the ring on his thumb was the first to flash with light.
The Silver Knight Spear that was originally flying toward the four-tailed black panther suddenly tilted in mid-air, striking the ground nearby and blasting a large crater.
"Magic items, huh."
"Then can you change the direction of this? Swarm Infestation!" the Gray-robed Mage sneered, his entire body surging with magic power.
Buzz— Buzz—
Dense swarms of flies and mosquitoes appeared out of thin air like a cloud of black mist, surging forward in a thick mass.
"Lizards love eating bugs the most," Quin Essey said flatly.
The large water-blue lizard that had been restrained by 'Fear' suddenly broke free and opened its mouth to snap at the insects.
However!
The moment the insects touched the water-blue lizard, they all exploded, spraying a thick acidic liquid.
"Hiss—"
The water-blue lizard let out a pained scream, forced to retreat step by step.
Seeing this,
Quin Essey frowned, suddenly noticing that the Gray-robed Mage's figure in the distance had disappeared.
"Hoot!" The deep red owl perched on his shoulder turned its head, looking toward a certain direction ahead.
"Shadow Hunt!" Quin Essey's lips curled.
The deep red owl's wings beat once, and it vanished from Quin Essey's shoulder as if teleporting.
Bang!
A muffled sound echoed in the empty area, and the deep red owl that had just vanished reappeared.
The Gray-robed Mage also emerged from his invisibility, stumbling back two steps as the magic barrier on his body flickered and collapsed.
"Damn it!"
Seeing the deep red owl preparing to pounce again, a look of frustration appeared on the Gray-robed Mage's cold face. He raised his hand and fired a spell: "Shockwave!"
A visible Shockwave expanded, knocking the deep red owl back.
"Demon Wolf Summoning."
A calm voice followed immediately.
A massive magic circle, three meters in diameter, appeared beneath Quin Essey's feet, and demon wolves began charging out from it.
In the blink of an eye, over twenty had gathered into a pack, surrounding and attacking the Gray-robed Mage.
"Dispel!" the Gray-robed Mage shouted, his light brown pupils flashing coldly. His claim of being skilled at dealing with summoning magic wasn't just talk.
The bodies of the twenty-plus demon wolves stiffened, and they all dissipated into motes of magic power.
After the brief exchange, both sides pulled back to a distance.
The deep red owl flew back, and the large water-blue lizard and the four-tailed black panther also returned to Quin Essey's side, circling him.
"Demonic Beast Summoner and Beast Tamer—they really do suit your Talent."
The Gray-robed Mage raised his hooked nose, his light brown pupils staring fixedly at Quin Essey, his mind searching for a counter-strategy.
As a Magic Chanter, he naturally wasn't skilled in close-quarters combat. Dealing with an opponent who fought by controlling Demonic Beasts was indeed a bit troublesome.
"If these are your only tricks, then please go to..."
Quin Essey had already roughly figured out the Gray-robed Mage's methods, and the man's magic consumption from that series of spells wasn't low.
Whether it was a direct assault or a battle of attrition, he held the absolute advantage.
He was only halfway through his sentence!
Quin Essey's expression suddenly changed, and he whipped his head around to look behind him.
The Gray-robed Mage followed suit, his eyes narrowing.
A terrifying amount of lightning-element magic energy was gathering in the jungle behind them.
"Maximize Magic: Fifth Tier Magic: Dragon Lightning!"
A cold voice echoed from the jungle.
Dazzling blue-white light instantly bloomed in the dim jungle. A dragon-shaped bolt of lightning, as thick as two arms, flashed through the trees and roared toward Quin Essey.
Lightning attacks were already incredibly fast, let alone a Fifth Tier spell.
Quin Essey's expression shifted as the four-tailed black panther beside him leaped up, blocking him.
Boom!
The lightning strike hit the four-tailed black panther. Without even letting out a scream, it was reduced to pieces of charred charcoal that scattered from the air.
The dazzling blue-white light dissipated!
A jungle path, pierced and scorched by lightning, appeared before Quin Essey and the Gray-robed Mage.
Opposite them,
Lyle's figure stood there quietly, watching them with an incredibly cold gaze.
"Fifth Tier Magic 'Dragon Lightning' detected. Requirement: magic power system Caster Level (29–35). Current conditions met."
"Consume 1 Skill Point to learn?"
"Learn."
Lyle thought to himself, stepping out from the jungle with a void expression, one step at a time.
Through the magic ritual of 'Maximize Magic,' he had elevated the Third Tier spell 'Lightning Ball' to the Fifth Tier, unleashing the higher-level 'Dragon Lightning.'
Under normal circumstances, this process would have consumed 150 MP.
However!
The class skill of the 'Mad Mage' negated this magic consumption entirely.