Chapter 89: It’s Over

“Stacie, start chanting the elven magic. With her next attack, we likely won’t be able to hold it off as we are now.”

The voice of the Nature Guardian resonated through the arena. Its hooves struck the ground, leaving trails of pale yellow light etched into the earth. As the magical circle completed, the ground trembled, and stone pillars erupted from the soil, forming a solid defensive barrier.

Yet, in the eyes of the Nature Guardian, this defense was almost fragile. It was no longer considering merely how to block Yuna’s next attack—it was calculating the counterstrike. Only with greater force could it withstand the onslaught. Otherwise, Stacie would suffer devastating harm.

Stacie hesitated. The Nature Guardian sensed her uncertainty immediately. Stacie’s heart was far too gentle; she was always afraid of harming others. Perhaps it stemmed from her childhood, a time when the elves had caused her endless pain. Her innate kindness would not allow her to inflict suffering; she could not become like those who, once granted power, used it to oppress others.

“Stacie, you cannot hesitate! The magic this girl is about to unleash has already reached the pinnacle of the fourth tier—and she hasn’t even finished chanting. Once complete, it might rival fifth-tier magic!”

The Nature Guardian’s urgency made Stacie clench her teeth. She began to chant the Elven war song softly, a spell to amplify the fairies’ magic. A wave of green energy surged as her words took form. If I can control the power carefully… I can manage this, she thought, focusing her mind.

Yuna’s chanting reached a fevered crescendo. Around her, a massive vortex of ice and fire swirled violently. The cold of ice and the scorching heat of fire twisted together, perfectly merged under her precise control.

“This is my full strength, Stacie!”

The ice coffin protecting Yuna shattered with a deafening roar. Countless shards of ice shot outward like jagged stars, caught up in the whirling vortex of fire and ice that Yuna hurled at Stacie. The swirling maelstrom drew the splintered fragments into its furious spiral, carrying with it a crushing force that seemed poised to obliterate everything in its path.

Stacie finished her elven war song. Green light surged forth, enveloping the Nature Guardian and the Wind Whisperer. She and the fairies braced for the final resistance. Rocks exploded into dust, and countless vines shot up from the ground, intertwining and twisting until they coalesced into a towering, cone-shaped spear. The Wind Whisperer shrieked sharply, binding wind elements into the spiraling spear, readying it for battle.

The vortex of fire and ice collided with the storm of vine spears. Overhead, the four elements—wind, ice, fire, and earth—wove together in a breathtaking display of magical power, forming a tempest that consumed the arena with awe-inspiring ferocity.

The collision of these two colossal spells brought the crowd to the edge of their seats. Every spectator held their breath, eyes locked on each trembling detail of the battle, unwilling to miss a single moment.

At the storm’s center, the clash of fire and ice created bursts of blinding light. The spiraling vine spears twisted and writhed, gradually gnawing away at the icy inferno.

Yuna stood opposite Stacie, raising her hand to resist the magical turbulence that surged around her. Her eyes narrowed, teeth clenched; she knew in her heart she had won. Stacie’s magic could not withstand her vortex of fire and ice.

The vine spears, though powerful, were torn apart by the vortex. Their destructive force weakened, but still, remnants surged toward Stacie.

The Wind Whisperer and the Nature Guardian rushed to her side.

No… she still held back, the Nature Guardian thought. If Stacie had given her all, she might have been able to counter the vortex completely. But now, it was too late for anything else.

Stacie’s gaze met the oncoming vortex. As it swallowed the Nature Guardian and Wind Whisperer, she recalled them back into the fairy domain at the very instant they were struck. Facing the onslaught, she felt neither fear nor panic. She gripped her hands tightly, eyes closed, preparing to endure the impact.

Professors supervising the duel and Rachel dived forward, ready to intervene—but a surge of terrifying magical power erupted from Stacie before they could act.

“What—?”

The overwhelming magic formed a vortex of its own, whipping up a sandstorm that swallowed the arena. Broken wands and sword fragments scattered by the wind like bullets, and professors immediately cast defensive spells to protect the students.

What is happening?!

The swirling sand blinded countless students. Merlin squinted, peering toward Stacie’s position. Something flashed—a black shadow, fleeting, like a liquid shadow slipping past.

At the center of the battlefield, Yuna stared at Stacie, a sudden wave of terror filling her chest. The girl opposite her was no longer just the gentle Stacie she had known.

A shadowy darkness enveloped Stacie, flowing like liquid over her entire body. Her eyes turned black and endless, as if they could consume all light in the world.

Around her, dark elements began to gather, forming a powerful magical domain. This black field devoured light, centering on Stacie and threatening to swallow everything.

Yuna felt the oppressive force, realizing this might be the legendary Domain Magic: Ruler of Night. But only a seventh-tier archmage could wield such a domain… so how was Stacie—?

Before Yuna could process, Stacie’s shadow expanded. Her very form seemed to dissolve into black liquid, and the shadows beneath her feet twisted and stretched, coalescing into a massive, oppressive silhouette.

The immense shadow exuded power, absorbing surrounding light and energy, chilling the area with its dark aura. Stacie raised her hand, and the monstrous black form stirred, like a beast lurking in darkness, lifting its head slowly.

Pain shot through Yuna’s body, yet she had no time to register it. The moment she locked eyes with the shadow, it was as if a hammer struck her mind, and consciousness slipped away.

Blinding lightning split the swirling sand.

In that instant, Ruler of Night dissipated. The darkness dissolved, merging into Stacie’s body with such speed that no one could react—not even the formidable Rachel. Only a lingering sense of eerie power remained.

Sand rained down like heavy droplets. Merlin clutched the railing, eyes fixed on Stacie’s trembling form.

Now, Stacie crouched, clutching her head in terror. She looked at the fallen Yuna, eyes wide with fear.

Rachel rushed to Yuna’s side, finding her covered in countless torn, gaping wounds. Shocked by the massive oversight under his supervision, he shouted to a professor above, “What are you waiting for? Prepare the restorative magic immediately!!”

Another professor rushed to Stacie, checking her condition. Seeing that she had only been terrified, he immediately soothed her, “Don’t be afraid… it’s over. Everything’s over now.”

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