Seven whirlwinds, filled with ice, snow, and lightning, swirled under Wilrd's control, rushing towards the advancing Lucas.

  The sound of the wind roared, its momentum overwhelming.

  The edges of the whirlwinds collided, pulling electric chains from one another, and the high-speed ice particles spun like the bdes of a meat grinder.

  Wilrd raised his staff, continuing to chant his spell.

  The airflow made his beard and hair fly wildly, and the sleeves of his magical robe fpped with a loud rustle.

  A lightning ball gathered at the tip of his staff, bursting with blinding light.

  The range of the whirlwinds expanded, blocking all of Lucas's escape routes.

  Lucas, like an ice speed skater, glided swiftly on the ice, his dual bdes enchanted into ice wheels.

  He crouched low, pressing the ice wheels to the ice surface, using them to support his body as he made sharp turns through the gaps between the whirlwinds.

  A yer of ice armor formed over his body, with new ice yers generating and pushing out the old ones.

  The fragments acted like reactive armor on a tank, deflecting the damage from the whirlwind's electric and icy bdes.

  Lucas used E's powerful mobility and the ice armor to break through the encirclement of the whirlwinds. There was now no obstacle between him and Wilrd.

  He pushed E's level to 100.

  Lucas vanished from his spot. He reappeared behind Wilrd.

  The ice wheel in his hand swung up, creating a massive ice bde, its force sshing through the ceiling.

  Residual energy formed an ice wall from floor to ceiling, freezing the falling debris in pce.

  But Wilrd evaded the sneak attack using shapeshifting.

  He transformed into an owl and flew forward, with two whirlwinds parting to clear his path and quickly moving towards Lucas.

  Lucas released the ice wheel, letting it hover in the air, then pulled a bow from his spatial backpack.

  The bow's name: Divine Artistry String

  Drawing the bowstring with no arrow, an ice arrow formed, its tip aimed at the owl's tail.

  The arrow shot out, transforming into a spear as it flew, threading through the gaps between the whirlwinds.

  Simultaneously, the two slowly spinning ice wheels accelerated, flying forward, drawing arcs to the left and right. They cut through the obstructing whirlwinds before converging inside…

  Outside the castle, Arcanum Academy staff were evacuating the fleeing students.

  The internal structure of the castle changed, signifying that Headmaster Wilrd had sealed himself and the intruding elf inside.

  For Wilrd to take such measures, it was clear how dangerous the elf was.

  Congressman Virgil, upon receiving the news, arrived with a rge group of Imperial agents and sheriffs.

  He asked an Arcanum mage, "Is the elf inside?"

  "Yes, inside…"

  Before the Arcanum mage could finish, Congressman Virgil waved his hand and ordered the agents and sheriffs, "Go in! Kill the elf and retrieve the 'Heart of Red Dragon Nielcolone.'"

  The Arcanum mage immediately stepped in front of the agents and sheriffs.

  "Headmaster Wilrd just gave an order for you to leave Arcanum Academy."

  "Why?" Congressman Virgil demanded. "We're here to help you. That elf is extremely dangerous, and she has…"

  At that moment, Mark shouted from the student group, "The elf didn't harm us; it was the Imperial agents who injured Lydia, and she's still unconscious.

  Arcanum Academy doesn't welcome you. The headmaster can handle everything."

  Mark and Lydia's cssmates joined in condemning the Imperial agents, and soon, other students from various departments joined in as well.

  Congressman Virgil, unaware of what the agents had done, said to the blocking mage, "This might have been an accident. On behalf of the Secret Intelligence Bureau, I apologize to Arcanum Academy and the injured student. Step aside and let our people in!"

  The blocking mage remained firm, "Sir, the headmaster ordered you to leave. Moreover, since he has taken action, the intruding elf will soon be captured…"

  Before the mage could finish speaking, a loud explosion came from within the castle.

  Looking up, they saw an ice spear piercing through the castle wall, extending halfway out.

  The ice spear, crystalline and translucent, looked like a delicate piece of art.

  Seeing the ice spear, everyone's faces turned grim.

  They all knew how hard the main building of Arcanum Academy was.

  Especially the outer walls of the castle, which had been thickened and reinforced with alchemical techniques to make them even harder to withstand invasions.

  Even a cannon couldn't leave a significant mark on it, yet this ice spear had pierced through!

  Those familiar with Arcanum Academy knew that Headmaster Wilrd was not proficient in ice magic, so could this ice spear have come from the elf?

  Was she really that strong? However, the shocks for those outside the castle were not over.

  A few seconds after the ice spear pierced the castle wall, two huge ice wheels cut through the wall and flew out.

  They spun rapidly in the air, then re-entered through the slits they had created. Only then did the debris from the breached wall begin to fall.

  What kind of monster was Headmaster Wilrd fighting inside?

  Arcanum mages expanded protective shields overhead to safeguard the students from falling debris.

  The mage negotiating with Virgil asked, "Do you still insist on going in?"

  The Imperial agents and sheriffs all stepped back.

  Virgil, staring at the ice spear and the holes left by the ice wheels in the castle wall, said bnkly, "We need reinforcements!"

  ...

  The battle between Lucas and Wilrd continued inside the castle.

  That arrow had missed Wilrd; the 172-year-old veteran had extensive combat experience.

  The owl transformed into a falling tree monkey, dodging the ice spear and ice wheels, then was steadily caught by the giant goril's hand.

  Whirlwinds blocked Lucas's view, combining into a wind wall that pressed forward.

  Lucas slid back, shooting arrows rapidly at the ceiling and floor ahead. The ice arrows turned into spears, embedding into the stone, forming dense clusters.

  The spear clusters slowed down the whirlwinds.

  Seeing gaps appear in the wind wall, Lucas switched from retreat to advance, dashing forward.

  He slipped through the gaps before the clusters, teleported to dodge the electric chains, and retrieved the returning ice wheel.

  He leapt and spun, creating two rge ice walls that sealed off the whirlwinds, then rotated 360 degrees in the air.

  In front of him was the giant goril's swinging hand.

  Wilrd had returned to human form, standing not far away, with his staff's tip emitting an electric chain like a whip aimed at Lucas.

  Landing, Lucas used the impact to unch himself high, the energy from the elemental fusion reactor allowing him to teleport twice in mid-air.

  Dodging the goril's massive hand and the electric whip, he reached the height of the goril's neck.

  With another extreme teleport to its back, he spun, drawing two rge ice bdes with the ice wheel, and sshed at the back of the goril's neck.

  The twin strikes severed the goril's spinal cord.

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