Vanessa stood frozen, bewildered by the situation. Even 6th-circle mages had collapsed, unable to withstand the strain. Alfoy, who was only a 5th-circle mage, should have been out of mana and on the ground by now. But realization quickly dawned on her. “He didn’t fully contribute his mana...” That was it. Alfoy had been too frightened and had subtly slipped away, conserving his energy. They had specifically brought him to this location to prevent such behavior. Given Alfoy’s temperament, unless he was closely monitored, he would inevitably shirk his duties and avoid exerting himself. And now, in the midst of the chaos, while Vanessa was preoccupied, Alfoy had once again managed to avoid taking responsibility. “Alfoy...” A flash of disappointment crossed Vanessa’s face but disappeared just as quickly. At this moment, it might actually be a blessing in disguise. They desperately needed someone with power. While controlling the mana flow of all the mages was out of Alfoy’s league, he could at least manage mana transfer. The dragon has been cornered so far. For it to turn the tide in a single move... Her sharp mind quickly reached a conclusion. The dragon, now freed from the magic seal, would undoubtedly unleash a powerful spell. And Alfoy was a specialist in mana transfer. If she could harness his mana for just a moment, it might buy them enough time. After that, the dragon, already drained, wouldn’t be able to cast another high-level spell. The remaining mages could then continue to break its magic. “Alfoy... Please... Transfer your mana to me...” Vanessa’s voice trembled as she tried to finish her plea, only to falter as she acknowledged her own state. Her body was far from normal. Even now, she was coughing up blood, her insides twisted and broken. If she tried to handle transferred mana in this condition, she would collapse immediately. Desperation flickered in her eyes as she thought of another solution, albeit a risky one. “Alfoy... just control it for a brief moment...” At her words, Alfoy recoiled in horror, shouting, “Wh-what? I can’t do that! There’s no way I can!” “You can do it! Your mana control is exceptional... You only need to hold it for a moment!” Despite his many faults, Alfoy’s reputation for precise mana control was well-known. Years of experience in practical work had honed his abilities. Control required not raw mana capacity but the skill to handle enormous energy delicately. Alfoy had that skill, even if only briefly. “Just hold the control... Only until the dragon’s spell is disrupted...” “I-I can’t! I told you I can’t!” Alfoy continued backing away, his face pale with fear. Vanessa watched him with exhausted, pleading eyes. WHOOOOOOOOM! Arterion’s immense mana began to suffocate the battlefield. Mages across the various fortresses were struggling to break the spell, but their efforts were futile. Trying to dispel such concentrated magic individually was ineffective. The dragon was forcing its way through with sheer power, using high-circle magic designed to overwhelm and inflict massive damage. Conversely, if they could just stop this one spell, Arterion wouldn’t have the strength left to cast another. “Alfoy... Please... You can do it, just for a moment...” 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶 Even if everyone else doubted him, Vanessa believed in Alfoy’s potential. No matter his shortcomings, he was still the heir of a mage tower. To her, Alfoy had once been a symbol of aspiration, a figure she admired during her days as a servant. The roles had reversed, and their skill gap had widened over the years, but Vanessa still held onto that memory. Yet even her earnest plea wasn’t enough. “I-I can’t. I’m not capable of that...” Fear consumed Alfoy. Two of the most powerful mages—Jerome and Vanessa—had already fallen. As a mage himself, he could feel the dragon’s overwhelming mana. The mere aftershock of its breath had nearly frozen him solid. The sheer pressure exuded terror. And now he was being asked to control that same terrifying mana? He knew his limits. His body would explode before he could manage it. Without thinking, Alfoy blurted out his true feelings. “Why... Why should I sacrifice myself for this?” He ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ didn’t understand why others were risking their lives. Some fought out of loyalty, others to protect people, but there were also those who fought because they were forced to. He fell squarely into the last category. He hadn’t chosen this life; he had been coerced into servitude, even if it was partly his own fault. Life in this wretched domain had been miserable. He had long dreamed of escaping. And now was the perfect chance. Everyone was too preoccupied with the dragon to notice him slipping away. “I... I’m going to run. I don’t want to fight terrifying enemies anymore.” “Alfoy...” “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He could leave now. He could disappear into some distant land and live a quiet, hidden life. It was what he had always wanted. So why were tears streaming down his face? “I’m sorry. I really am. I’m not the kind of person who can do this. I’m... I’m just pathetic.” Finally, Alfoy admitted what everyone had always said about him: he was pathetic. Terrified, he turned away, shutting his eyes and gritting his teeth as he began to run. Vanessa, exhausted and sorrowful, watched his retreating back with tired eyes. “Alfoy...” There were no more options. No one remained to take control. The remaining mages could only continue trying to weaken the dragon’s magic as best they could. But... The warriors fighting the dragon wouldn’t even survive the weakened spell. The dragon, pouring all its remaining mana into an immense spell, wasn’t holding anything back. “Cough...” Vanessa coughed up blood once more before collapsing. Even her unyielding spirit had reached its limit. Her tears froze on her cheeks as her body turned blue, her lips cracking in the bitter cold. Jerome and the other mages lay in similar states, their faces pale and frost-covered, as if they would never wake again. WHOOOOOOOOM! Arterion spread its wings wide, radiating confidence. It no longer saw anything as a threat. The warriors in front of it hesitated, unable to step forward. Primordial power gleamed in Arterion’s eyes as it sneered at the crumbled fortress before it. “Did you truly think a dragon’s power was so trivial?” Its thunderous voice echoed across the battlefield, the air itself trembling with mana. Gathering its remaining power, Arterion began to unleash a spell beyond human comprehension. RUMBLE! The earth groaned in agony as massive cracks formed, revealing a frozen world beneath. CRACK! CRACK! Pillars of ice erupted toward the heavens, and with a sweep of Arterion’s wings, a cataclysmic blizzard roared forth. The sky and earth were painted white as snow imbued with mana danced in the air. The frozen ground seemed alive, spreading its icy grasp further with each passing moment. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The world itself appeared to freeze over. The remaining mages fought valiantly to dispel the dragon’s magic, and for brief moments, they succeeded. Pockets of the storm disappeared, and ice pillars crumbled. But the reprieve was fleeting. Colder, more powerful frost surged to fill the void. It felt as if the entire world was succumbing to the ice. Even the most resilient warriors found their movements hindered, their bodies coated in frost. Every breath burned as if their lungs were freezing solid. Ghislain clenched his jaw and shouted, “Attack it now! We must stop this!” At Ghislain’s command, everyone moved to attack again. But as Arterion flapped its massive wings once more— WHOOOOOOOOSH! A powerful blizzard swept over the battlefield, pushing everyone back like an unstoppable storm. The very act of standing on the frozen ground made their bodies begin to freeze. Facing the winds felt like being cut by a thousand knives. It was as if the end of the world had arrived. RUMBLE! Ghislain and the others pushed their mana to its absolute limits. Thanks to the holy energy of Parniel and Piote, they managed to hold on, barely able to move. But holy energy wasn’t infinite. The battle was returning to its starting point, and at this rate, their side would only grow weaker. BOOM! Ghislain grit his teeth and channeled more power into his aura blade. The blazing energy ignited like a last flicker of defiance against this frozen world. Should I use it now? He thought about utilizing the power of the amplification granted by the Dark. With it, he could unleash a stronger force. But Ghislain planned to save that for later, hoping to push Arterion further before resorting to it. Using that power would drain him completely, leaving him incapacitated afterward. The timing wasn’t right. If he used it and failed to overwhelm the dragon instantly, they would lose everything. As Ghislain wrestled with his decision, Arterion continued conjuring miracles with its immense mana. The mages managed to dispel portions of the magic, but the frozen wasteland expanded faster than they could counter it. Even the mages’ resolve began to waver as the situation grew dire. What should we do? We’re doomed if this keeps up! We have to run! The blizzard intensified, and the dispelling slowed to a crawl. The mages started conserving their mana, preparing to flee instead of continuing the fight. The frozen world only spread faster as their morale broke. Crunch. Ghislain clenched his jaw so hard his teeth ground together. They had been fighting on even terms just moments ago, but the tide had turned completely. He knew better than anyone how crucial morale was in a battle. Many of his victories in dire situations had come from rallying his soldiers with sheer determination. If they were to reverse the momentum, they needed to take a risk and create an opportunity. “Don’t hold back! Use everything you’ve got! Push forward! I’ll lead the charge!” Everyone nodded at Ghislain’s words. The original plan had been to conserve their strength and drag the fight into a war of attrition. But now they had no choice—everything had to be unleashed in one decisive burst to shift the momentum. Rrrrrr... Arterion’s laughter echoed across the battlefield. “It seems this is the end. For insects, you’ve fought impressively. I won’t forget you.” RUMBLE! The ground trembled as if it were alive. Arterion poured its remaining mana into transforming the battlefield into an eternal prison of ice. On the frozen ground, the dragon was invincible. The humans would exhaust their strength just trying to withstand the cold. Already, their movements were slowing, and even the holy energy protecting them was weakening. BOOM! “Now, let us end this,” Arterion declared, landing with a gleam of triumph in its eyes. As their bodies froze and holy energy became insufficient to heal them, the humans would soon be defenseless. Ghislain tightened his grip on his sword, ready to unleash a massive surge of energy in one final, desperate attack. Just as both sides prepared to clash— Ssssssssssshhh... Suddenly, the blizzard began to subside. The frozen earth melted rapidly, ice pillars crumbled, and the storm dissipated into thin air. Warmth washed over the battlefield, enveloping the warriors’ frozen bodies. “What?” Arterion’s voice was filled with confusion. It had crushed the controllers, yet its magic was being undone. This was impossible. Even with a multitude of mages, they could only chip away at its spell. Such rapid dissolution of its magic was unthinkable. Ghislain, equally shocked, turned to look. He had seen Jerome and Vanessa collapse with his own eyes. No one should have been able to take control of the mana. So who was unraveling the dragon’s spell? When he turned toward the control fortress, his eyes widened. From the fortress, where all the mages lay unconscious... A lone figure stood, gripping two staffs tightly. Ghislain muttered in disbelief. “Alfoy?” The same Alfoy who had fled was now back, controlling the mana. His robes flapped wildly under the strain of the immense magical force he was wielding. Blood streamed from his nose, ears, and mouth, his entire body trembling under the pressure. “Grrrr...ugh...” Jerome and Vanessa had struggled to share the burden of control. For Alfoy to attempt it alone, despite his exceptional skill in mana manipulation, was suicidal. His body seemed on the verge of exploding, but Alfoy gritted his teeth and endured. Fear and agony pushed him to the brink of abandoning everything and running again, but he held on. Just this once. If he could just dispel the dragon’s massive spell, the others could take over from there. “AAAAARGHH!” Logic told him to stop, but the pain was overwhelming. Alfoy screamed, his voice a mix of torment and defiance. Even as blood poured from his body and his vision blurred, he didn’t falter. WHOOOOOM! The mana Alfoy controlled clashed with the dragon’s spell. The pain intensified with each passing second. “It hurts. I can’t... I want to give up...” Thoughts of surrender plagued him with every moment. But... The sorrowful, desperate gaze of Vanessa remained vivid in his mind. She was the only one in the entire domain who had ever recognized him, even after all his failures. He couldn’t let someone like her die here. Fighting through his fear, Alfoy roared with all his might. “I am―!” The one thing he had clung to, his pride, the title no one could take from him. Even the strict Parniel had begrudgingly acknowledged it. With all his strength, Alfoy shouted to the heavens: “The man who defeated a god―!” SHIIIIING! With his cry, the overwhelming mana engulfing the battlefield pierced through the dragon’s spell. The icy wasteland created by Arterion’s remaining mana... Sssshhhhhh... Vanished like a mirage.