Chapter 57
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Chapter 57: Whispers of a Nightmare
If Midi was the sharpest sword on the battlefield, Alice was the unseen hand guiding the entire conflict. She observed everything, holding various hidden trump cards that could shift the tide with a single move.
Yet this mastermind now lay defeated, a blade through her heart.
A single strike decided victory. Even the most ruthless assassin would feel pride in such a moment.
But as the silver-haired assassin’s focus wavered in triumph, a blinding lightning bolt split the sky.
The world flashed into stark black-and-white, a jagged scar of light tearing through the air. The lightning vanished as quickly as it came, leaving only a fading afterimage.
Too bright to behold, too swift for fear—its power remained undiminished despite its brevity.
The assassin collapsed like scorched wood, her face frozen mid-smirk.
Meanwhile, the "Alice" pierced through the heart began to blur. The black-haired girl and her coat dissolved into feathers, scattering on the wind. A small black creature with a gaping chest wound thudded to the ground, twitching once before lying still.
Crow Robin’s true ability was the "Substitute Doll"—a one-time shield against death. Once used, the crow needed repairs to function again.
But for the High-level Elf "Thunderflash," hidden in the winds, this fleeting moment was enough to strike back.
*Did he foresee even this?*
The Mist Sorceress Alice leapt lightly onto a distant rooftop, recalling Midi’s words before the battle: *"You’re the core. Protect yourself."*
It was his earnest gaze that had pushed her to summon Thunderflash—a High-level Lightning Elf with no tactical role beyond guarding her. Yet the enemy had pinpointed her position amid the chaos.
Alice yearned to retaliate against those who’d wounded Fog Demon and Night Demon, but she stayed rooted.
The silver-haired assassin still lived.
Clad in black armor, the girl matched Alice in age. She’d dodged the lightning’s full force at the last instant—a superhuman feat. Worse, her charred body showed no pain, her hollow stare fixed on Alice as if planning another attack.
Alice frowned. She herself could mask agony through sheer will, but this foe resembled an unfeeling puppet. Worse, a sickly vitality pulsed within the girl, healing her wounds while draining her life.
*No time to hesitate.*
A spatial rift tore open between them. The High-level Elf "Ice Phantom" thrust its hands forth, hurling hundreds of Ice Shards at the crippled assassin.
Yet the barrage failed. A honeycombed black magic shield materialized, effortlessly blocking every spike.
“Now, now,” drawled a voice through the icy fragments. “Damage the Empire’s prototype, and I’ll have *such* paperwork.”
A figure strolled calmly from the swirling ice wind.
The man in his forties wore his usual plain gray robe and clutched an aged staff. His narrowed eyes gave him a lazy appearance, the amiable smile on his face glaringly out of place amidst the bloodstained battlefield shrouded in smoke.
Yet when Alice saw this middle-aged man, goosebumps erupted across her skin.
No matter how casual his tone or friendly his manner, magic couldn’t be faked. The icy aura radiating from this man reeked of utter madness and overwhelming power.
"I am Wiseman Newton from the Empire’s Alchemist Guild," the man declared with an elegant bow, as though attending a noble ball rather than standing on a battlefield. "It’s an honor to meet the master of both ‘White Cat’ and ‘Black Cat’."
The Mist Sorceress didn’t respond – her spells served as answer enough.
If she didn’t attack now, she knew she’d never get another chance.
"Two hundred-man teams spotted on the right flank!" Klasty reported. "One’s roaming gunslingers, the other has a level 35 Elementalist!"
"Disregard," Midi ordered without hesitation.
Tactically speaking, this decision made no sense. Charging straight through two powerful ranged units would expose the Nightblade Leopard Cavalry’s vulnerable flanks. The level 35 Elementalist alone could inflict massive casualties.
Yet Midi didn’t waver. Every second counted.
Alice was strong – stronger than both Midi and Fina at this stage. Her bizarre Summoned Beasts attacked in ways that baffled enemies, like navigating a maze with no exit. By quantifiable standards, she could challenge opponents ten levels above her.
Which meant her current opponent had to be over level 40.
General Red Fox at level 40 couldn’t have destroyed two Summoned Beasts simultaneously, even if he’d seen through the Fog Demon and Night Demon. Only an Imperial agent could achieve this.
Wiseman Newton of the "Hand of Nightmare" – a level 45 Necromancer!
Midi’s jaw clenched until his teeth ached. He should’ve realized sooner. During the Delos Empire’s invasion of Belmar Duchy in Arad Calendar Year 986, it was Wiseman who’d partnered with the Sais family and Blood Blade Thieves Guild to plunge the nation into chaos.
Though this noble war hadn’t occurred in his previous life, Wiseman’s presence in the duchy should’ve been predictable. The separation of Count Joseph’s body and soul bore the hallmark of this particular Necromancer’s methods.
Why hadn’t he connected the dots?
Against a level 45 Necromancer, Alice stood no chance. Midi’s blood ran cold imagining what Wiseman might do to her. In his past life, this "Hand of Nightmare" had overseen the Bilmark experimental facilities, butchering countless to create biological weapons. A mysterious sorceress like Alice would be perfect material.
He couldn’t let Wiseman take her. Not again.
Midi’s silent roar of fury seemed to fuel the Blood Fang Panther beneath him. The beast outpaced three hundred charging Nightblade Leopard Cavalry riders, leaving them in a cloud of dust.
Elvin Town’s small size worked in their favor. Within minutes, Midi reached the combat zone – and froze at the horrific scene.
Three Demon Swordwomen (white-haired, gray-haired, and silver-haired) formed a triangular formation around Alice. The black-haired girl stood defiant but pale, blood trickling from her lips. Though she maintained her proud posture and launched counterattacks with a High-level Elemental Elf, her weakening body betrayed her.
Worse yet, the infamous "Hand of Nightmare" stood nearby, chanting a complex spell.
"Mass teleportation magic!" Midi recognized immediately.
