Chapter 617

Chapter 617: From All Despair and Chaos

A wind swept through the deep and long passage. The figure lightly touched the ground, like a streak of light across the night sky, disappearing into the dim underground space.

Lolan Hill felt a suffocating heaviness drawing closer, and the surrounding space seemed to become increasingly viscous, as if compressed at high density. A sense of oppression surged from her skin and consciousness to her heart.

In such an environment, many spatial spells or abilities would be subject to greater interference and resistance. Even ordinary movements felt like encountering layers of resistance; the faster one moved, the more difficult and exhausting it became.

After a few minutes of rapid advance, she had exhausted most of her strength.

Her chest heaved up and down. Lolan Hill could hear her own breath, heavy with fatigue. She slightly raised her head, looking towards the dark end of the passage.

Finally, a closed door appeared in her vision.

This door was made of gray steel, with slowly turning gears on its surface and around it. Although not large, it gave a sense of extreme solidity.

She slowed down momentarily, her gray boots stepping on the black-and-white steps, ascending step by step. The clear sound of her footsteps echoed in the empty space.

As Lolan Hill approached, she gradually perceived that the gears on the door connected to numerous large and heavy transmission mechanisms. The steel gears turned slowly but powerfully.

Her palm gripped the cold doorknob, sending a chill and rough sensation through her.

She muttered a silent incantation and slowly turned the solid steel handle, a faint click coming from the structure above the door.

The gears turned with the handle, pulling levers, retracting the door and wall structure, and finally, the door slowly opened.

Gale-force winds raged, debris flying everywhere. An immeasurable underground world came into view.

In the dim world, a slowly emerging black vortex gradually reflected in the young lady’s eyes.

No—

She couldn’t help but want to stop the densely packed mages in the square, but it seemed too late. After discovering the anomaly, they had apparently advanced their ceremony.

On the dim ceiling, two witches stood side by side, one black and one white. They gradually released their intertwined fingers, their bodies drifting to the sides. Then, the two of them, like the dual fish of yin and yang, slowly revolved around the center point.

Under the power related to space, a tiny black dot appeared between them, and then they slowly extended their pale arms toward the center.

Tear—

Their hands stretched into the tiny vortex, tearing it open. Then, a cold, stale, distorted gray aura gushed out from within.

As these gray currents flowed faster and stronger, the black vortex in the middle expanded, like the dark eye of a深渊 slowly opening, staring at all present.

The chaotic and turbid air currents, like sewage, made Lolan Hill feel nauseous and uncomfortable. She had to raise a spherical barrier with pure white patterns to fend off the abyssal aura. Yet, the twisted and frenzied sensations still stimulated her keen senses and consciousness.

Just as she was about to be overwhelmed by the gray-black turbidity, her pocket watch finally lit up, and a warm arm embraced her.

Bright flames suddenly exploded in this pitch-black world. The scorching, almost white-hot flames seemed substantial, wavering in the rapidly flowing gray-black turbidity, then expanding, exploding, and bursting.

Whether tangible or intangible, all were consumed by the intense flames, clearing a clean space in the pitch-black world.

A woman in a black dress floated slowly before Lolan Hill. Her hair resembled flowing splendid flames, countless tiny sparks spilling out, and any material touched by even a single spark would be annihilated into faint blue smoke, dispersing into nothingness.

In the dark, gloomy world, this fire witch had eyes composed of millions of red hues. With a lift of her hand, waves of heat surged forward like oceanic tides, burning and reducing countless turbid currents to black ashes, which scattered in the air.

Beside her, a fiery domain nearly a kilometer in diameter gradually formed. Any substance approaching it would be engulfed by the intense heat waves distorting the sight.

“Fire Witch, Keti!?” Several extraordinary Sequence 9 mages in the square exclaimed, recognizing this historically renowned existence.

With Keti’s appearance, the scorching crimson aura continuously spread outward, washing over the turbid air currents in the underground space. Even the newly formed black vortex wobbled under the distorted heat waves.

“We can’t let her continue like this.”

An elder with gray-blue eyes stepped forward. Anyone familiar would recognize him as one of the permanent sages of Emanas, the Ocean Sequence 9 of Bridge Academy, Veduru.

Years ago, he had reported to the Sage Council about needing to inspect the chaos seal in the Endless Sea, temporarily leaving the school, coincidentally causing the void in Emanas that year. Unexpectedly, he now appeared here.

The four extraordinary Sequence 9 mages in the square began helping stabilize the newly appearing chaotic vortex, while the other two Sequence 9s joined Veduru, preparing to suppress the suddenly arrived fire witch.

Water mist seemed to rise faintly in the air, then becoming heavier and more concentrated until it formed a torrential downpour. Carrying the turbid aura surging from the vortex, the dirty rain flowed in the air, resembling dozens of giant serpents, rushing toward the circular fiery domain.

Boiling white steam suddenly rose. At the moment of their encounter, a violent reaction erupted, the flash vapor wave expanding wildly in the underground space, making it feel like stepping into a damp, stifling room, each breath burning the lungs.

Many mages on the square fell.

In response, a Sequence 9 existence stretched out his hand, a wide shield…

The incomparable silver clock disk covered the square, acting like a barrier separating the dangerous environment outside.

And as this turbid rain python temporarily suppressed the domain of flames, the black vortex in the sky also gradually expanded under the guidance of the two witches, one white and one black. Even distorted figures could be faintly seen within.

“Go stop them, Keti. Don’t worry about me,” Lolan Hill stood in this crimson world of flames, seemingly not feeling the heat but rather a sense of comfort. She looked at the figure with long flaming hair ahead and said this.

“But, Lolan…”

Those countless red eyes turned around, looking at the girl behind her. In her gaze was hesitation and unease, as if in her heart, the safety of the person beside her was more important than anything else.

“Now is not the time for whimsy, Keti. Hurry up, or it will be too late,” despite the fierce clash outside, Lolan Hill continued to say. She looked at this partner who was displaying great power, her eyes clear and earnest.

“Alright.” Seeing Lolan Hill’s determination, Keti had no choice but to agree. She hugged this companion who usually took care of her, then her body dispersed like flowing flames.

Under the intervention of three Extraordinary Sequence 9s, the downpour in the underground world became increasingly intense and cold. The previously swirling dozens of murky pythons gradually solidified into a half-ice, half-water viscous state, and a murky black ice wall began to form.

With the continuous replenishment of these turbid flows, this black ice wall sealed the domain of flames in a corner and added layers upon layers, increasing its thickness.

When the wall became so dense that the firelight inside could no longer be seen, the several Sequence 9s slightly relaxed. They only needed to hold on for another dozen seconds. At that moment, the chaotic vortex would open, and everything would be decided.

Just as they put their unease aside, the thick black ice wall suddenly cracked. A torrent of scarlet flames rained down from the sky, burning everything they touched—whether metal, rock, or liquid. These flames seemed alive, moving and chasing after all targets, engulfing them before transforming into intense light and heat.

A few mages on the square were caught by these flames; even those at Sequence 8 found themselves struggling in despair, dying helplessly.

“Damn, is this what a witch is?” a Magic Sequence 9 was very unwilling. He stretched out his hand again, and a series of silver clocks appeared from the atmosphere behind him, seemingly trying to halt the spread of the flames in this space.

Before he could fully extend them, a rush of crimson flame particles darted toward him, piercing through his body.

Time seemed to freeze and blur here. Several seconds later, the body of the Sequence 9 exploded, turning into dissipating gray-black ashes.

Vidulu nervously watched the swirling flames, beads of sweat streaming down his forehead. Compressed water surrounded his body to the extreme, dense and oppressive mist enveloping the area within thousands of meters, serving as a barrier to hinder and slow down the advance.

But even so, he still felt a sense of dread and unease. This feeling had not been experienced in nearly two hundred years since he became a Sequence 9.

But now, he truly perceived the weight of legend. As one of the most terrifying Fire Witches among the witches, she, who had left a notorious reputation in history, had likely killed over ten Sequence 9s.

On the other side of the battlefield, Lolan Hill struggled to resist the surging turbid flow. Having lost Keti’s domain of flames for protection, she had to face this overwhelming assault alone, like a small boat that might capsize at any moment.

Fortunately, amidst this dark world, a surging stream of flames would occasionally come to her aid, helping her resist the ferocious turbid python.

Keti still wasn’t fighting with all her heart. Lolan Hill thought, holding the hairpin by her ear tightly until it slowly glowed.

The unstable environment and the depths of the underground made it take her considerable time to gradually perceive the existence of Star World.

Her figure gradually rose, as if becoming an ethereal entity, indistinct, with stars twinkling in her eyes.

As Lolan Hill slowly rose, several Extraordinary Sequence 9s on the distant square also sensed this sudden emergence. That figure gradually breaking free from the constraints of the world and space, rising layer by layer, immediately attracted everyone’s attention.

“Star Witch of Clancia, Lolan Hill.” They slowly uttered her name, seeing a star rise in the pitch-black underground space.

“Hold back, witch symbolizing the stars.” Two figures, one black and one white, appeared again in the air, exactly the witches who opened the chaotic vortex. With their words, the entire space seemed to be swept by an invisible wave, momentarily stalling. Then chains extended from the void, weaving and crisscrossing, tightly binding the star that was slowly rising.

Stars swayed, chains tightened, and the clinking sound echoed throughout the space.

“Stop, this is the closed gate.” The white-robed witch spoke.

“Bind, these are the forbidden chains.” The black-robed witch concluded.

As the two witches fully exerted their powers, the starlight gradually dimmed, and Lolan Hill’s figure reappeared in the air, transitioning from ethereal to substantial once more.

She ultimately only possessed the strength of a Sequence 6. Even with Trinasha’s hairpin assisting her, she could only resist for a while. In a prolonged confrontation of powers, fighting against two opponents, she couldn’t break free from the layers of constraints.

Those dark golden chains were products of power, not only restraining Lolan Hill’s movement but also preventing her from using her powers of miracles and starlight.

Seeing the silver-haired girl being bound by chains and slowly falling from the sky, countless crimson flame streams in the air once again converged towards her.

Lolan Hill felt a warmth in her body, and the dark golden chains melted into glowing particles and smoke, dissipating in the air. Keti’s figure appeared beside her again, protecting her.

Although she herself did not suffer much damage, unfortunately, the hairpin from Trinasha in her hand gradually dimmed, unable to be used again.

Seeing this,

The witch under the starlight was stopped, and the other Extraordinary Sequence 9 beings also breathed a sigh of relief. Although they failed to kill this newly-born witch, Lolan Hill’s presence finally allowed the burning heat wave of Cutha to stabilize somewhat.

The black vortex in the sky continued to expand, pouring murky airflow that filled the entire underground world.

The four remaining Magic Sequence 9 mages on the square completed their spells, and a series of silver clocks appeared in the air, spreading across the dim underground space.

After these silver clocks emerged, they quickly absorbed the constantly surging gray chaotic aura around them, expelling it to the other side of an unknown space. Although this vast underground space remained dark and oppressive, at least it maintained a faint clarity, allowing the mages on the square to hide relatively safely behind the barrier, free from the erosion of the gray aura.

From the moment Lolan Hill entered this underground space, within just thirty seconds, the black vortex had spread from its appearance to gradually cover the giant ring standing vertically in the underground space. Finally, some blurry and distorted figures began to appear by the thousands in the vortex.

They writhed, howled, and emitted silent cries of anguish. The grotesque and twisted scene resembled hundreds of thousands of terrifying maggots struggling in a boiling oil pot.

Ugh—

Some of the mages on the square could not accept this scene, covering their mouths and kneeling on the ground, their eyes filled with terror, excitement, unease, and madness.

Lolan Hill looked at the grim situation before her, her eyes gradually firming. She held Cutha’s hand and whispered softly.

“It seems we can no longer avoid this worst outcome. Let us make one last effort.”

She took a slightly trembling deep breath, and a pair of snow-white wings slowly spread from behind her, with pale blue patterns resembling the veins of wind on them.

As the two of them rose slowly, a majestic aura also rose steadily. The originally scarlet flames around Cutha gradually turned a light white. The flames seemed to be celebrating, celebrating this best era, the surging heat baking everything that approached the gray-black turbid flow. The stone walls around them also slowly melted into translucent forms.

The expanding air pressure pressed against everyone in the current space. The iron tracks on the ground gradually turned red and softened, and the scorching atmosphere could turn anyone who breathed casually into smoke.

With the assistance of the power of the wind, Cutha’s flames began to threaten the existence of everyone present.

Facing such a terrifying annihilation wave, several Sequence 9s on the other side had to start fully assisting Wedulu, so that among the few, the only Sea Sequence 9 could resist the approaching heat wave.

Heavy rain and tidal waves boiled and surged again. The murky giant python, even thicker than a dragon, wildly danced from the underground space toward the two witches standing hand in hand in the air.

“Sludge and rain cannot hang in the air,” a pale hand extended from the sky, and the delicate voice was like a lamentation.

As the words appeared, the clouds and rain that had been continuously emerging in the air suddenly plummeted, vanishing completely. The turbid giant python flying up from below also collapsed with a roar, scattering back onto the earth.

With the interlocked hands, the surging fiery mana from Cutha transmitted through Lolan Hill’s body, finally allowing her to exert her power as the ruler of wind and atmosphere.

After temporarily suppressing the几位序列9 below, their gazes turned again to the other end in the air, where another pair of witches stood hand in hand.

The witch of the Opening Gate. The witch of the Prohibited Lock. Although they were born in different eras, they seemed to have become very good friends.

“Nevertheless, I still hope you can pause for now, and the new world will leave a place for you. After all, we are the only ones of our kind,” said the white-robed Gate witch.

“This is not an irrational destruction of the world, but a great and worthy adventure,” added the black-robed witch.

Looking at the two witches expressing goodwill, Cutha’s fiery eyes blinked slightly, not answering immediately but turning to look at her companions beside her.

“No, some things are destined not to be used for experiments and adventures,” the silver-haired girl shook her head slightly, her blue eyes clear and serene.

“Why? What right do you have to stop us and limit our freedom?” responded the black-robed witch.

The power of the witches seemed to be personal pain, perhaps because of her aversion to being restrained, she gained the power of chains.

“Because your speculations are merely illusions and beautiful lies,” Lolan Hill spoke the cruel words that shattered the illusion.

“The other side of the vortex is merely a larger ruin and tragedy,” said the silver-haired girl, revealing the honest truth.

“That is nothing more than your ignorant and stubborn conservative thoughts! Who can deny the existence of miracles!” Faced with such a response, this black-robed witch could not accept it, unable to accept that everything she had done over the centuries was useless, that her life had no meaning.

Facing that angry expression, Lolan Hill closed her eyes slightly and gave her own answer.

The atmosphere and wind oscillated like bowstrings, while the flames and heat shot out like arrows. The burning flame that consumed space swept towards the two witches in black and white.

Transparent doors opened in the air, then extinguished the light and flames.

“Even if you do not believe, we will still do it, because this has become our destiny,” replied the white-robed Gate witch slowly. Then the two separated again, circling around the sides of the vortex, constantly pulling it apart. More and more chaotic phantoms rushed out eagerly, becoming shields to resist the flames’ invasion and delaying the time.

Just as Lolan Hill and Cutha were fiercely burning away these twisted phantoms, a beam of light finally shone down from the sky.

Like piercing through all darkness and obstacles, a pair of wide, white wings emerged from the depths of the underground.

“I will become the pure white burning flame,

Dispelling the confusing haze,

Guarding the last order of this world,

No matter how many times,

From the night,

From beneath all evils,

From all despair and chaos.”

(The chapter ends)