“Why is it a ranged attack?”
“The Lake Master has never used ranged magic before!”
“Could it be… a power exclusive to females?”
Eluka stared fixedly at the obviously channeling Lake Master.
Lightning flickered as the Lake Master aimed at Rod and Tia floating in the sky.
With such a distance, plus the sluggishness of her floating magic… there’s no way they could dodge in time.
Rod and Tia also realized this, their faces turning ghostly pale.
As for Tia, she didn’t know any protective magic at all!
So now…
“Mother Earth, please grant me your protective blessing!”
Eluka poured her magic into her staff with reckless abandon, constructing her spell at top speed.
Thankfully, she caught it just in time.
Before that blinding lightning reached, a sandy-colored shield materialized out of nowhere in front of Rod and Tia, blocking the lightning!
But…
“Wow, that’s strong…”
Eluka clenched her staff tightly, her delicate hands bulging with veins. If there had been a mirror in front of her, she’d be grimacing like she just ate a lemon.
Turns out, the Lake Master’s lightning wasn’t a single shot but a continuous barrage!
Like a laser, constantly pounding her hastily-formed shield.
“What… is… this… generator of electricity?”
Eluka felt her magic draining rapidly—if this kept up, she wouldn’t last much longer!
“Ah!”
Just as Eluka was overwhelmed by her fast magic depletion and her brain started pounding, she suddenly heard Tia’s scream.
That scream startled her so much she nearly jumped—could there be a third Lake Master? Do you guys just love your magical beasts that much?
Pfft, not that it mattered—no third Lake Master showed up.
It was just a splash of lightning arc, suddenly bypassing the shield and striking Tia’s pretty face, leaving a clear scorch mark.
“Ah, my face!”
Feeling the prickling pain, Tia pulled out a tiny mirror and looked. Her face immediately blackened.
Her once fair, gorgeous face was now scarred—how on earth was she supposed to show herself now?
“Eluka, can’t you do something useful for once?”
Tia barked in a sharp voice:
“Look what you’ve done to my face—how are you going to compensate me?!”
“Is now really the time for this…?”
Eluka grit her teeth:
“I’ve already… done my best… okay?”
It’s not like she learned a single defensive spell, and now she’s being scolded for it!
And honestly, who has the time to fuss over her disgusting face now?
“Stop acting like a helpless girl. You could have easily blocked this level of attack before.”
Tia snorted coldly:
“I think you’re just jealous of me and doing this on purpose.”
“…”
How dare she say that?
She’s still under my protection—how does she have the nerve to say such things?
Not to mention, I could let the shield down and have the Lake Master finish her off at any moment.
Ugh, no.
Rod’s still here.
I, a kind-hearted, adorable, soft girl, shouldn’t be doing something so cruel, right?
…
Can’t I do it?
…
“I… I can’t hold on much longer…”
“Huh? What are you saying?”
“My magic… is running out.”
Tia’s eyes widened in horror as the muddy-yellow shield, blocking the deadly lightning, gradually shrank.
The shield that was supposed to protect both of them became tinier and tinier. No more sporadic lightning arcs hitting Tia; instead, scattered lightning brushed past her, instantly leaving many scorched marks on her.
“Wait—Eluka, I was just joking! I didn’t mean to blame you… don’t do this…”
Seeing her own impending doom, Tia panicked. She begged Eluka for mercy, as if her previous arrogance had all been a hallucination.
Hmph, no wonder you’re a filthy bitch—no backbone at all.
Rod would definitely dislike someone like you.
Eluka secretly gloated to herself.
But she had no intention of killing Tia—just wanted to give her a lesson.
And by the way—her magic was really almost gone.
“Tia… don’t worry… I’ll try harder… I won’t let anything happen to you…”
The shield’s shrinking stopped gradually, staying at a size that could still protect Rod well enough but would let scattered lightning occasionally strike Tia.
Hearing Tia’s occasional screams, Eluka felt her magic flow more smoothly.
However, what she didn’t notice was that the Lake Master’s eyes, watching all this, suddenly flickered with a mischievous, human-like expression.
Boom!
A bolt of lightning, vastly different from before and tinged with red, suddenly exploded.
The shockwave shook the shield, prompting Eluka to instinctively pour even more magic.
But this was too sudden. Already low on magic to begin with, this large drain made her head pound like a hammer smashing her brain—she saw stars, experienced ringing ears.
Blurry vision revealed a figure flying away.
That figure…
Tia?
Eluka’s eyes widened in shock.
Yes, that was Tia, her body forcibly blasted out by the explosion’s shockwave.
“Tia, quick! Use floating magic!”
Eluka shouted desperately.
But there was no response. Tia’s eyes were shut tight—she looked knocked out cold by the blast.
“What… is happening…”
Eluka’s face paled.
She never expected the Lake Master to suddenly change tactics, catching her off guard. Even Rod, so close, probably had no chance to react.
And she had no energy left to cast two spells at once—she couldn’t save Tia now.
No, wait—if she was just going to fall into the water, she wouldn’t die immediately.
But that naïve hope shattered instantly when she saw that the Lake Master had suddenly ceased attack mode.
Then, aiming her single horn directly at Tia.
Lightning flickering again.
Gathering energy.
“Oh no.”
Eluka’s mind went completely blank.
She couldn’t think of any way to save Tia; the Lake Master had planned this from the start. No way she’d give up this opportunity.
Tia was about to die.
“Huh?”
“Now, should I be happy?”
…
Of course.
…
“Tia!”
Suddenly, Eluka heard a cry, and her gaze unconsciously darted toward the sound.
And she saw it—the moment Rod abandoned his shield, forsaking his own protection, rushing toward Tia.
“Ah.”
Her heart clenched like a blade.
“Why?”
“Rod, are you crazy?!”
“Why are you saving that bitch…”
Eluka desperately wanted to shout these words. Yet, when they reached her lips, they only became trembling, powerless whispers.
The Lake Master’s grin grew even more knowing; she was waiting.
Waiting for Rod to succeed in grabbing Tia.
Only then would she be able to Harvest both targets at once.
