NOVEL NEXT Chapter 94: Howling Spire Lord
A warm gust swept over her, carrying a familiar voice that cut through the chaos like a blade.
"Save your apologies. You still owe me your help in achieving my goals."
Oria's eyes flew open. As her gaze fell on the figure before her, her voice trembled, filled with disbelief and relief.
"Sister Maggie!"
Her companions, equally astonished, exclaimed in unison.
"Vice Leader!"
Maggie paid their outbursts no attention. Her piercing gaze was locked on the incoming wave of attacks. She had felt the Elite Spire's presence from miles away and had rushed to the scene, barely arriving in time. Her expression was sharp, her resolve unshaken.
With a slight furrow of her brows, she raised her hand. A massive sea of flames erupted, roaring into existence and surging forward to meet the enemy's assault.
BOOM!
BOOM!
The sky exploded with fire and smoke as Maggie's flames clashed against the oncoming attacks. She didn't wait for the flames to subside. Another wave of fire surged forth, this time more ferocious, sweeping across the battlefield. Countless spires were caught in the inferno, detonating one after another.
Satisfied with the result, Maggie glanced back at Oria and her companions. Her voice, calm yet commanding, rang out.
"Go back and recover. I'll handle the rest."
There was no room for argument in her tone. Oria hesitated for a moment, her lips trembling as she spoke softly.
"Please… be careful."
Maggie nodded but didn't look back. Oria and her companions retreated, their trust in her absolute.
On a nearby rooftop, Vincent stood with Mochi, surveying the devastation. The town was in shambles, ravaged by the relentless assault of the primals. Vincent's eyes sharpened as they focused on Maggie, her fiery attacks obliterating hundreds of enemies in a dazzling display of power.
As the smoke cleared, a quarter of the spires lay in ruins. The Elite Spire, however, remained unscathed, its menacing presence undiminished. Vincent wasn't surprised. Maggie had focused her efforts on neutralizing the smaller threats while conserving her strength.
The Elite Spire let out an enraged screech, raising its hand to retaliate. But before it could act, Maggie struck. She raised her arm high, summoning a blazing, three-meter-long lance of fire.
"Flame Lance!" she shouted, her voice echoing across the battlefield.
The fiery weapon shot forward with blinding speed, piercing the Elite Spire's body before detonating in a brilliant explosion.
BOOM!
When the smoke dissipated, the Elite Spire was gone, its form utterly obliterated by Maggie's overwhelming power.
Cheers erupted from the Origin Warriors watching nearby.
"Vice Leader!"
"Vice Leader!"
Oria, being tended to for her injuries, smiled faintly. Despite her exhaustion, she couldn't help but feel pride and admiration as she watched her cousin's display of unmatched strength.
The celebration was cut short by a violent tremor that shook the ground.
"What's happening?" a warrior shouted, panic evident in their voice.
"The portal! Look at the portal!" another yelled, pointing toward the labyrinth's entrance.
Vincent's sharp eyes caught the change immediately. The once-white portal had turned pitch black, arcs of lightning crackling ominously within its swirling depths.
Then, an Elite Spire emerged from the portal. And another. And another. Soon, twenty Elite Spires stood before them, their forms radiating an oppressive, malevolent energy.
The Origin Warriors froze in place, their earlier confidence evaporating in the face of such overwhelming numbers. But Maggie didn't flinch. Instead, a smirk crept onto her lips, her eyes gleaming with defiance.
"It doesn't matter how many of you come," she muttered under her breath.
"Ants are still ants."
She raised her arms, summoning another inferno. This time, the flames burned even brighter, hotter, and fiercer. Lance after lance of fire rained down, striking the Elite Spires with unrelenting force.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The battlefield was engulfed in chaos as the spires screeched in agony, their forms disintegrating under Maggie's relentless assault.
From the rooftop, Vincent watched in awe. His usually composed expression betrayed a flicker of disbelief.
"She's incredible… How much origin energy does she even have?"
His thoughts turned skeptical as he glanced at Mochi, the black rabbit perched on his shoulder.
"Are you sure she's going to die?" he asked, his tone laced with doubt.
Mochi huffed, its expression indignant.
"Hmph! Just wait and see. My skill has never failed before."
Vincent raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't it fail to predict my fate?"
Mochi flinched, its confidence visibly shaken. After a moment of awkward silence, it snapped back defensively.
"Y-You're different! You're a special case!"
Before their banter could continue, a deafening crack of lightning tore through the air.
BANG!
Dark clouds gathered above, swirling like a living entity. Lightning crackled within the storm as it condensed into a colossal figure—a twelve-meter-tall spire, its presence suffocating.
A voice, deep and resonant, boomed across the battlefield.
"Hoh, what do we have here? A fiery little girl from the Drakorii race?"
The sheer weight of its voice pressed down on everyone, making hearts tremble. Even Vincent felt the pressure, though he stood at a distance. Beneath his mask, his brow furrowed as he assessed the creature.
Howling Spire Lord — Tier 3 (1★)
Despite the overwhelming aura, Vincent remained composed. His gaze never wavered.
The Howling Spire Lord's mocking tone rang out again.
"Little fiery girl, have you had your fun? Why not let my children go?"
Maggie scoffed, her disdain evident.
"You want me to let them go after slaughtering my people? You must have gone senile!"
Although they would not really die, it was still the same as cutting their future when they lose their ability to enter the Origin World.
The Howling Spire Lord's tone darkened, its voice dropping to a menacing growl.
"Calm yourself, child. We sought only to escape that prison. It was your people who struck first. Let us go, and I will spare you."
Maggie's eyes blazed with fury, her lips curling into a scornful smile.
"Spare me? You spineless windbag! Let's see which one of us ends up needing mercy!"
For a moment, the battlefield fell silent. Even the Howling Spire Lord seemed taken aback by her boldness.
From the rooftop, Vincent blinked, stunned. He glanced at Mochi, whose wide eyes mirrored his disbelief.
"Did she just…?" Vincent began, his voice trailing off.
Mochi nodded wordlessly.
Nearby, Oria and the other warriors exchanged wry smiles.
"Yep, that's the Vice Leader we know," someone murmured, a hint of pride in their voice.
The Howling Spire Lord finally broke the silence, its confusion giving way to booming laughter.
"HAHAHA! Yes, that's it! Hate! Rage! I've missed this!"
Its laughter turned to a guttural roar as its eyes burned crimson. Misty smoke coiled violently around its form, and its limbs became encased in raging winds.
Explore more at empire
Then it howled—a bone-shaking cry that sent shockwaves rippling across the battlefield.
CRACK!
The force of the shockwave obliterated what little remained of the town. Oria and the other warriors clutched their ears, grimacing in pain. But Maggie stood firm, shielding her eyes from the debris.
The tension in the air was palpable, the battlefield poised on the edge of a cataclysmic clash. Maggie's flames roared defiantly, their brilliance undiminished by the Howling Spire Lord's oppressive aura.
"Come on, then," she challenged, her voice unwavering.
"Let's see if you're as powerful as you claim."
The Howling Spire Lord bared its fangs, a cruel grin spreading across its face.
"Very well, little Drakorii. Let me show you what true despair feels like."